All For Freedom
by screamin-psiren
Summary: Capt. Sparrow had his revenge on Capt. Barbossa. But other enemies don't think Death is enough, and Jack has to either help or get the Hell out of the way of the girl he thought was dead. JO.C. Better than it sounds I swear. RnR :D
1. Default Chapter

*1*  
  
I've waited a long time, My Love.   
  
How sickly sweet those words are, tripping out of my throat, the sarcastic combat you forced me to take part in. The   
  
lie you made me tell you for my skin. Because you wanted my skin, and I wanted to preserve it.  
  
I've grown you see, in so very many ways. I'm not silent anymore, I'm not compliant, I'm not afraid and most of all I'm  
  
not yours. You bought me with gold but now only I own me. You made me savage as the wind and mercurial as the mad sea  
  
with all you did to me. You made me just as twisted in heart and mind as you, when all I ever wanted was to be simple   
  
and sweet and free. So Death is not good enough.   
  
Goodness can be found in the strangest places, clad in the filthiest shell. That I have learnt with my growth. Who   
  
would have thought my Saviour and my Death could reside in someone who should have been as evil as you? Yet he was   
  
not... He was... special...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Friend! .... OW!! .... Of the family.... OW!.... Honest!"   
  
This familiar voice drifted to Elizabeth through the indignant shrieks and crashes coming from the kitchen as she   
  
gathered up her skirts and hurried inside. She had been quietly reading in the study when the peace of midday had   
  
suddenly been shattered by hysterical yells which she had reluctantly found herself trying to find the source of. Whilst  
  
expectant of what she saw ever since she had heard that uncouth, mildly slurred but somehow impossibly endearing voice,   
  
it did not diminish the amount of amusement it gave her. The kitchen was a warzone, flour, fruit and pots and pans   
  
strewn across the floor and smothering counters. A shrieking Bessie, the chef, was laying hands upon anything at her   
  
disposal. Alternating between crouching under the assault of flying kitchen assortments and staggering upright in an   
  
attempt to explain himself only to be hit every time, Captain Jack Sparrow had his traditional look of confusion and   
  
cheerful drunkeness as the cook attempted to murder him with cutlery. Finally noticing Elizabeth he flashed her a   
  
toothy grin "Hello luv." he said "Just acquainting myself with the local women." A particularly large pot came flying   
  
over the table and landed an inch from Jack's foot, causing him to shriek in a very undignified manner. "Oh stop making   
  
such a fuss Bessie! This is... a friend of mine." Elizabeth said sharply over the shrieks. Bessie turned in surprise   
  
upon hearing her mistresses voice and mumbled a series of apologies. "Beggin' your pardon mame, but he came in through   
  
the side door, and he looked rather out of sorts with the normal people you associate with mame..." Bessie stammered   
  
nervously as Jack ever-so slowly stood upright to ensure he would not be impaled by a fork, before customarily swaying   
  
in what was his excuse for a walk in their direction. "That's probably because he's a pirate Bessie." said Elizabeth,   
  
arching a perfectly formed eyebrow in challenge, daring Bessie to pass comment. On occasion it gave her a small thrill   
  
to show those around her that she was not just the well brought up lady she was meant to be. "Yes, that's right, that's   
  
me, a pirate. Damn good one too luv, now d'you mind giving me my hat back? I believe you were hitting me over the head   
  
with it earlier." Jack said, his gold teeth gleaming in a charming smile as his hat was thrust disdainfully at him.   
  
"Thank you Bessie." said Elizabeth, grabbing Jack's wrist and towing him after her. "I think she loves me..." Jack said   
  
in a loud whisper to Elizabeth, smacking Bessie on the behind as he was dragged past her.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Will peered out of the door for possibly the hundredth time, his eyes nervously skittering around the corridor. The fine  
  
surroundings of this house, the plush carpets, the expansive windows, even now when he was engaged to Elizabeth, unsettled  
  
him slightly, made him feel out of place. The vast corridors were thankfully empty, most servants undoubtedly finding  
  
whatever excuse they could to go outside on such a warm, deliciously golden evening. Sun wrapped itself lovingly  
  
around every inch of floor it touched. "Relax lad, I'm under the protection of the delightful Miss Swann!" exclaimed   
  
Jack, sprawling himself into a chair that did not look designed to be used in such a robust manner. "Exactly why I'm   
  
keeping an eye out. I don't want Elizabeth to get into trouble because of you." Will said dryly, re-entering to room   
  
and sitting down next to Elizabeth. Jack's chair creaked alarming as he slung one leg over the armrest and surveyed   
  
them with a lazy toothy grin. "So when are the wedding bells? I'd offer to give you a present..." "But it would   
  
undoubtedly be stolen." added Elizabeth, smiling at Jack despite her disaproval. It looked as though Jack paused to   
  
consider this before breaking into another mocking grin "Only a little."   
  
"We are to be married next Spring, as of yet we haven't made all of the preparations. I'm trying to get enough money for  
  
us to start out." Will said, his eyes gleaming with evident pleasure as he held Elizabeth's hand. Jack nodded, glad for   
  
his two friends who, at least by his estimations, had been destined to get together from the very beginning. "You're in   
  
for it my lad, trying to compete with a home like this..." said Jack, gesticulating round himself with his normal   
  
flailing movements. Elizabeth opened her mouth to stop him too late as she saw the chair tip,only for the Captain to   
  
fall off the chair in a scramble of arms and legs with a loud crash.   
  
"What's going on in there? Elizabeth are you all right?"   
  
Launching herself towards the door Elizabeth held it closed "Yes I'm fine father." she declared loudly over the sound of  
  
Jack cursing in mumbled tones and trying to pull himself upright. After a sharp conference through the door with her  
  
father, Elizabeth heard the click of his shoes as he left. Breathing out she glowered at Jack in annoyance as he flipped  
  
the chair upright again and stared at it accusingly, as though it had purposefully wounded him. It never ceased to amaze  
  
her how Jack could be so inescapably clumsy in one instant, and extraordinarily graceful and fast the next. Whether his  
  
swaying, never-still gait was due to enough rum to kill an ordinary man or a life on ships she had no idea, but when in  
  
combat or aboard his beloved Black Pearl, Jack moved like refined silk. He seemed a man designed solely for existing   
  
aboard a ship or in the sea, as she had noted when seeing him swim, his limbs entirely within his own mastery.   
  
"The Pearl's hidden round past the port, I had to comandeer a little fishing boat that went past us." Elizabeth glanced   
  
at Will as they shared the same thought. "And what happened to the people in the fishing boat?" asked Will, giving Jack  
  
a reproachful look. Jack made a valiant attempt to look hurt and innocent "What? They could swim! There was no   
  
sinking!"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The dying sun fell down into the sea, lighting it in myriad shards of yellow, gold and burnt orange as the magnificent  
  
ship cut through the waters up to the dock. Ropes were thrown overboard onto the planks, followed swiftly by several   
  
people who secured the ship before climbing the ropes back aboard.   
  
Women, eyes ranging from hot to cold, hard to sugary sweet, angry to drunken, surveyed the Port they had come across.   
  
Only five of the crew were male, and they watched with gleeful anticipation, their very expressions showing their  
  
eagerness to head for land. "D'you think it's a good idea for us to be right where they can see us Cap'n?" enquired one  
  
crew member, a thick-set woman with vigorously scraped back brown hair. "We look damaged. They won't reckon on us   
  
trying to leave with the amount of holes we've got in our Beauty." replied their Captain, tapping her fist woefully   
  
against the side of the ship, causing the crew to laugh quietly. Eyes the colour of burnt hazel flashed across her crew  
  
and she gesticulated for them all to pay attention. "Now remember mates, supplies first. No looting, no pillaging..."   
  
The eyes squinted as if reconsidering this before she shrugged broadly "Ok maybe a little pillaging." The crew laughed  
  
raucously at this, adrenaline for enjoyment swelling in them. "Just go and enjoy yourself. I want to see fires high  
  
enough to roast God on. Make me proud." she declared, waving them away wildly. Letting out cries, shrieks and positive   
  
warcries of conquest, the crew all headed down the ropes onto the docks. "You men..." continued the Captain, her sword   
  
shooting out and barring the path of the few men in the crew before they could step forward. "No raping. Not a popular   
  
sport on my ship." she continued coldly, her gaze suddenly venomous. Hostile gazes returned her own but nothing was   
  
said as they followed the others. She smiled to herself as she saw the swarm of her crew fly up the dock. Removing her  
  
hat and shaking out her dark red hair, she began the process of pinning it up, a look of intense displeasure on her face  
  
as she did so. "Now I need to go find me a Commodore to kill. And a Swann to ... do something beginning with S to." she  
  
said happily to herself before sliding down the rope onto the dock. 


	2. Finding a friend of Jack's

*2*  
  
The misty darkness of night was abruptly peppared bright with fires that were littered throughout the port. Screams,  
  
gunshots and chaos could be heard even so far up as the Governer's house and Elizabeth found herself for the second time  
  
in so much as a year peering from her window to witness the horror below. She could see three pirates were exchanging  
  
fire with a band of redcoats far out from the main port. Another group of them had ransacked a shop and were taking   
  
what valuables there were from within, draping themselves in jewellery in drunken revelry. The fights were spreading.   
  
This attack was not so virulent, so ruthless,as Barbossa's had been, but nevertheless the madness of panic had swiftly   
  
enveloped Port Royale as its inhabitants remembered the destruction of before. Barbossa's men had murdered, raped, and  
  
taken everything of any value to anyone. Pirates were now feared even moreso than before, and this attack inspired   
  
nothing but sheer terror.   
  
"Is it just me or does your Port just beg to be attacked or something?"   
  
Will shot Jack a warning glance and joined Elizabeth at the window. "You're not safe here Elizabeth. Go down to the  
  
Fort and stay with the redcoats." "But what about you and Jack?" exclaimed Elizabeth in distress as Will dragged her  
  
from the window. "We have to go and stop this from going any further." said Will, throwing open the door to the   
  
pitch black corridor. Jack shrugged and extricated himself from his chair "Fair enough, might as well see who started  
  
this little party. Can't have people messing up my love-birds nest now can I?" he drawled sarcastically, only to be  
  
grabbed by the shirtfront and dragged by Will out into the corridor. Running in the opposite direction to them were  
  
several servants, the men amidst the group brandishing weapons. "Take care of yourself my Love." whispered Will before  
  
claiming Elizabeth's mouth for a swift, intense kiss. Turning with Jack, he ran after the servants. "Take care of him  
  
Jack!" Elizabeth called after them, fear and dismay beginning to well up inside her throat. "Of course I will, never  
  
safer in a pirate assault than when you're with a pirate!" called Jack back to her.   
  
One of the servant girls running past stopped, a tall girl with tendrils of hair flying from the maid's cap she wore   
  
low over her face, and grasped Elizabeth's hand.  
  
"Mame, you have to get out of here, you're not safe! I'll take you to the Fort!"   
  
Too concerned for Will to even consider her own safety, Elizabeth allowed herself to be dragged through the endless  
  
dark back corridors of the servants quarters, out of the back of the house. Replacing her fear was an even more   
  
disturbing numbness. The screams and fires did not seem real, the only thing that roused her in the slightest being  
  
the cold sea air hitting her face as they ran down the hill, the sharp thud of their shoes hitting the ground. Her mind  
  
felt curiously empty and her fear had now left an empty hollow in her chest as she thought of what would happen if Will  
  
died. "My heart would explode inside of me. All that I am would be lost inside the heart that had died." she found   
  
herself thinking with a horrific calm.  
  
Her thoughts were stopped abruptly, as she herself was when the servant girl in front of her ground to a halt and she  
  
ran into the back of her. She felt for the first time the immense strength in this girl's body as one arm held her back  
  
protectively. Following the girl's gaze, she noted five pirates, drunken and staggering, were right before them,   
  
lecherous grins plastered across their faces. The girl's arm tensed as they all began to laugh and close in, their  
  
postures threatening.  
  
"Welll lookeee 'ere. What nice little Missy's 'ave fallen into our laps." said the closest, reaching out a hand to   
  
touch Elizabeth's cheek. In a sharp, clean movement, the servant girl standing before her grabbed the wrist and brought  
  
her other hand directly into the pirate's elbow. The loud crunch that followed accompanied by the pirate's scream of  
  
pain paralysed Elizabeth to the spot it was so chilling. Turning, the servant girl threw her hard to the floor before   
  
rounding back upon the pirates. In that instant, in the illumination of the fires, Elizabeth saw her face...   
  
"I've never seen her before..." Elizabeth found herself thinking quietly. Touching her head which swelled with pain she   
  
felt blood in between her fingertips. The servant girl now had a sword and was effectively massacreing the group of   
  
men, her hair flying loose as she span and cut and kicked her way through them. As two approached she booted one in   
  
the stomach before blocking the fall of the others sword, flicking his swordhand back and slashing his chest open   
  
before cutting the other across the neck.   
  
Elizabeth's vision blurred slightly and she groaned, shaking her head, trying to sit upright. As her eyes cleared she   
  
saw the servant girl turning to her and ripping the cap from her head and the dress from her body. Waves of dark red  
  
hair fell from the confines of the cap as the girl reattached a belt containing two gun holsters and a sword to her  
  
waist, wiped blood from the sword onto her trouser leg. "Comes from allowing idiots into my crew... Don't even   
  
recognise their own Captain when they're drunk..." the woman mumbled almost to herself, before seemingly noticing   
  
Elizabeth again. Gleaming eyes focused on her and a mildly sarcastic smile spread across the woman's face "You follow   
  
everyone that tells you to or is it just my natural charm? And I thought you were marrying a Turner." the woman said,   
  
tutting. Elizabeth's vision blurred again, and then faded into darkness.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"They're all BLOODY WOMEN!"   
  
Jack's loud curse echoed throughout the entire seaport as Will found himself, indeed, fighting a very-much Female pirate.  
  
"I HATE killing women!" Jack declared as he flew past Will, using the handle of his sword to knock out Will's would-be  
  
attacker before rounding on another group of pirates. With his back to Jack's as a manner of defense for them both, Will  
  
engaged in fighting he considered to be particularly unfair, partly because he was compromised by his unwillingness to  
  
hurt a woman, and secondly because these women had no such qualms about hurting men. Jack seemed to be making a far  
  
better job of it despite his protests. "I wish I had as little morals as you so that I wouldn't mind doing this!"   
  
yelled Will over the raucous screams and clashing of weapons, backhanding the woman before him in the face. "Doesn't  
  
everybody!" yelled Jack in response, his back burning hot against Wills. And then suddenly the burning heat was gone  
  
and Will found himself turning sharply, looking for the absent pirate. But he was gone.   
  
Shooting down the alleyway between two buildings, his eyes straining to adjust to the dark, Jack sprinted through,  
  
tracking the unconscious familiar figure of Elizabeth that was being carried by someone... Only to find himself being   
  
bulleted to one side as a hard body wrammed into him, sending him sprawling into the wall. Rebounding from the   
  
attack he caught a hand as it came up to punch him and returned with a punch of his own, spinning the figure back round   
  
into the wall. The sharp crack of their head against the wall was followed by a swift exhalation of breath. Pressing   
  
his body hard against theirs, he clamped one hand firmly around their throat. Jack cursed to himself that he could see   
  
nothing in this dark. Holding the figure pinned as he was against the wall, it was evident that she was female, her  
  
contours deliciously close to him. "You wouldn't hurt a woman kind sir... Would you?" she purred sweetly, her body   
  
arching up against his. Jack started slightly at the intimate contact of her hot flesh against his, but retained his   
  
grip on her throat. One of her knees inched upwards and brushed against his groin, causing him to fight back a quiet   
  
groan. Skimming one hand down to the front of her shirt, he smiled "Cute..." pulling the neck of the shirt open, he   
  
peered inside at the soft flesh "But not that cute." She shrugged, her body relaxing slightly. "It was worth a try."   
  
she said, her voice sharper now. Lightning fast, she flipped his grip on her throat away with one hand and brought that   
  
caressing knee up into his stomach. Thoroughly winded, Jack dropped to his knees as she planted a ruthless kick into   
  
his belly from his doubled up position. Gagging, he lay there with the world spinning as he tried to gain his bearings  
  
and drag breath back into his abused lungs. The shadowy female danced across the edge of his vision before pausing.   
  
"Sorry Jack." she said sombrely, and then the shadow was gone again.   
  
A shrill piercing noise that sounded almost like a Psiren scream it was so loud and ethereal came from the docks, and   
  
Will noted with relief that it was causing the pirates to retreat. Despatching those who attempted to stop them as they   
  
left, the pirates all swarmed back towards the ship at the end of the dock, clambering up trailing ropes even as the   
  
boat departed. Following the ship down to the very end of the dock, Will watched as it sailed out. Glancing back when  
  
he heard violent hacking coughs, he saw Jack staggering out of an alleyway holding his guts and rushed to help him. With  
  
his arm slung over his shoulder, he brought Jack down to the dock as fellow townspeople stared similarly after the dark  
  
sillouhuetted ship. Will noted with surprise that planks were placed precariously all over it, and ropes were knotted   
  
together in various length and modes all over the side. "She's just been in a fight. They're trying to patch up the   
  
holes in her while they're on the move. Smart." commented Jack, his ebony eyes narrowed in thought. As if to further   
  
demonstrate this, a pirate shimmied down one of the ropes and seated herself in the knot between it and another with   
  
the intention of doing some repairing. "Will..." said Jack, the serious note in his voice causing him to instantly turn  
  
to face him. "I think they've got Elizabeth. And one of them knew my name." Before the full extent of this could even   
  
process in Will's brain a familiar voice uttered:  
  
"Glad to see you again Jack Sparrow."  
  
They both reluctantly turned to encounter Commadore Norrington, with twenty redcoats behind him with rifles aimed.   
  
"CAPTAIN. Captain, why does he find that so hard to say?" exclaimed Jack, wobbling slightly and relying on Will for   
  
support. "I believe we have you to thank for this second attack upon our town. I never should have let you leave in   
  
the first place." continued Norrington, his cold face hardened into a sneer. "Norrington, he has nothing to do with   
  
this..." began Will, stepping forward only to be flicked a disdainful glance. "Forgive me for disbelieving you Mr.   
  
Turner but you have proved before that your alliances are with this pirate scum, and not with the good of this town.  
  
Take him." Several redcoats came forward and proceeded to chain Jack's hands, which he endured with a world-wearied,  
  
almost bored tolerance. "Commadore do you really think if Jack had anything to do with this he would still be here?!"   
  
growled an incensed Will as he was held back by some of the redcoats. "I'm aware of the pirate code Mr. Turner. Those  
  
who lag are left behind, and from what I know of Sparrow, he appears to be an expert lagger." said Norrington, every  
  
utterance dripping sarcasm and dislike. "Thought you should know mate, they happen to have Elizabeth on that ship."   
  
commented Jack casually, concealing a smirk as Norrington visibly paled. "Might want to go after her Commodore me old  
  
chuck, see if she showers you with gratitude and kisses and..." "ENOUGH! Have him secured in the jail, see to it that  
  
all the fires are put out and THEN if there is a ship to spare we will follow. Mr. Turner I would advise that you step  
  
nowhere near the Jail if you value your freedom." fumed Norrington before marching back up the docks.   
  
"Get my crew up here..." hissed Jack as he was hauled past a frustratedly helpless Will. Floundering in a moment of  
  
panicked indecision, his heart torn between waiting for Jack and going after Elizabeth on his own, Will ran for the   
  
cliffs that obscured the Black Pearl. 


	3. It's Jade luv Like you'

quiet-one 145, Trappedandannoyed, thanks for the reviews :) I sooo need very little encouragement to carry on writing,   
  
I have no life!   
  
But nevertheless reviews are very much loved cuz they make me feel shiny and keeps my poor angsty heart from thinking  
  
I'm hated, hee hee. REVIEW PLZ XXX  
  
*3*   
  
Stark morning sunlight cut through the cabin and met with Elizabeth's shut eyelids, which fluttered into wakefulness after  
  
a moment or so of restless turning to avoid the light. As the initial haze of sleep drifted from her mind she started,  
  
recalling last night and its events. Snapping her eyes fully open she launched herself into a seating position, taking  
  
in her surroundings with a wild gaze. A modestly furbished cabin, holding a desk and chair, the bed she was sleeping in,   
  
and several trunks. A small window was situated opposite from the bed, allowing the hot morning sun that reflected to   
  
an even higher intensity off the sparkling ocean, entrance into the room. Gingerly touching the back of her head,   
  
Elizabeth noted it had been bandaged. The enormity of her situation came crashing down upon her. She had been   
  
kidnapped. AGAIN! And on this occasion she didn't even know who by and to what purpose they kept her! Quelling her  
  
initial feelings of panic, she edged out of the bed and headed towards the door. Maybe if she could hide in the belly  
  
of the ship for a while so that they were looking for her and then creep on deck in the night... Inching the door open,  
  
she squinted her eyes against the sun and slid out of the crack in the door, crouching low into the shadows at the base  
  
of the stairs...   
  
"Whatever it is you're tryin' to do, stop it. It's annoyin'."   
  
Elizabeth turned swiftly and yelped in surprise, almost falling over as she found that she had been virtually standing on  
  
the toes of a woman who was seated by the cabin door on a chair eating an apple. Backing up to place some distance   
  
between herself and the woman, she took her in, and upon closer inspection recalled her as the woman from last night who  
  
had actually kidnapped her. She was tall and languidly elegant, with hot amber eyes that glowed with wit, good humour  
  
and intensity. Elizabeth was sure that in more forgiving situations she would be quite startlingly beautiful, but   
  
appearing attractive seemed to be the last of this woman's concerns. Her skin was tanned by the sun, and dirty from   
  
work, her hands calloused as they lazily peeled the apple she dissected with a large knife. Her clothes also were   
  
filthy and torn, but meticulously sewn wherever they had previously been damaged. A large overcoat that practically  
  
smothered her broad-shouldered but otherwise slim frame, seemed to be comprised almost solely of pockets. The woman  
  
squinted up at Elizabeth now, finishing off her apple and removing her hat to fan her face, warm red hair spilling out   
  
across her face. "Glad to see you're up mate. Feel priveleged, don't often let people comandeer my bed, even if they  
  
are guests." she said, flashing a broad grin before dragging herself out of her chair and heading up the stairs.   
  
Elizabeth stood mute for a moment in shock before scampering up the stairs after her, fuming as the woman casually threw  
  
her apple core over the side. "Guest?! You brought me here whilst I was unconscious under false pretenses..." she  
  
began, eyes flicking round nervously to survey the crew that busily manoeuvered the ship around her. All of them stared   
  
at her either with open hostility or quiet curiosity, and she noted with great surprise that they were all women, some  
  
beautiful, some battle-scarred, some slender, some stockily built. "But isn't it a grand day to be out on the sea?"  
  
said the woman, taking her hat off once more and waving it about dramatically. She took a deep breath and sighed with  
  
satisfaction "Mmmmm God smell that salty air!" Seeing the lack of humour Elizabeth was finding in the situation her  
  
broad grin dropped instead to a slightly less maniacal smile "I'm Captain Jade Quinn. Welcome aboard the Sea Demon."   
  
she said gently, bowing mockingly as she spoke. Elizabeth remained obstinately stiff, despite feeling distinctly   
  
unthreatened by this Captain's attitude, very much aware that she WAS a pirate and HAD captured her. And the swift,   
  
almost brutal dispatch of those pirates that they had encountered last night demonstrated that her seeming good humour   
  
only stretched so far. "You of course are Miss Elizabeth Swann, daughter to the Governor, and betrothed to one William   
  
Turner, son of Bootstrap Bill. You're also a friend of an old friend of mine..." An image of Jack floated through   
  
Elizabeth's head and she mentally cursed him all the way to the gallows. How could this woman not be friends with him?  
  
They were both deranged! "Jack? Is he what this is all about?" Elizabeth managed, the words sticking fast in her   
  
throat.Jade's smile returned, or at least a grotesque bitter resemblance of it, and her eyes darkened. The woman who   
  
had killed those pirates last night could be seen all too clearly as her face twisted into something new. "No mate. He   
  
thinks I'm dead. Which is better off for all of us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Her eyes were so bright and glowing like sharp stars and now they were dying...  
  
Jack jolted upright, the ghost remnants of his dream lifting and disappearing so fast he had no hope of retrieving the  
  
pale image and shape of what had caused his heart to beat so fast. His eyes wearily trailed around the all too familiar  
  
cell, which retained the same dregs of foul water and remains of skeletons as it had possessed on his previous visit. It  
  
was dank, it was depressing, it was cold. Basically, it was just like every other prison he had found himself in on one  
  
occasion or another. Skimming his hat back down over his face and trying to get comfortable on the impossibly narrow   
  
bench that he had delicately kicked a skeleton off, he pondered on the dilemma that was before him. Naturally he had to   
  
go with will after his lass (once the damned whelp managed to get him out of here again), but that woman... The voice   
  
was so familiar, something he couldn't place. Of course he couldn't, he'd known so many women over the years. This   
  
thought brought an errant smirk to his face despite himself. Not that he knew many pirate women, they were few and far  
  
between as it was and most seemed to intensely dislike male pirates. But the way she had changed her voice so swiftly,  
  
one instant, manipulative, soft and seductive, the next sharp and luscious and real... That in itself was familiar, but  
  
why he didn't quite know. Either way, it would be good to catch up with some woman arrogant enough to think she could   
  
knock all the wind out of Captain Jack Sparrow and get away with it! At this moment, the familiar sound of limp bodies  
  
falling down stone steps echoed through the prison. Jack looked round to see Gibbs fixing him with a beamy, dirty toothed  
  
grin.  
  
"Norrington said Will couldn't come anywhere near the prison. He didn't say nothin' about me."  
  
Scampering away in his normal swaying fashion with the puffing, out-of-breath Gibbs not far behind, Jack glanced back at  
  
the jail and dragged Gibbs into the shadows with him beneath a cart from the market. "D'you think..... we were seen...?"  
  
wheezed Gibbs, clutching his chest and turning purple. "Of course not. I have the cunning of a fox and the sneakiness   
  
of a weasel." Jack declared proudly an instant before he threw himself to the ground, a bullet impacting with the cart  
  
above his head.   
  
"Let's move on!!" Darting out from beneath the cart Jack flew down towards the dock, arms flailing before him comically,  
  
only hoping that Gibbs would be able to keep up. Diving cleanly into the water, barely causing a ripple on the surface,  
  
Jack swam as fast as he was readily able, up towards the Pearl which had anchored some distance out. The loud SPLOOSH  
  
he heard behind him indicated that either Gibbs had decided to join him or a Whale had tried to beach itself. As he   
  
reached the Pearl, he entwined one arm around an anchor chain and levered himself out of the water, clambering hand over  
  
hand up until members of the crew grabbed him and pulled him aboard. Soaking wet and freezing, and in desperate need of  
  
Rum for medicinal purposes, he found himself being shaken vigorously by the jacket. "They've got her Jack, they've got  
  
Elizabeth! We have to go after her!" Anamarie calmly detached Will from her Captain's jacket, before turning him around  
  
and slapping him hard in the face. Jack shrugged as Will shook off the sting of it "Now you see what I mean lad, d'you  
  
feel like you deserved that?" and then in more hushed tones to Anamarie "Cheers Anamarie." she nodded in recognition,  
  
her face stern. "He's been saying that ever since he got on the damn ship!" she snorted before turning to help a  
  
spluttering Gibbs be brought aboard. "Don't worry Lad, I know they've got her, I was the one who told you if you may  
  
recall. And we are goin' after her." Jack said, placing a reassuring hand on Will's shoulder. Will eventually looked up  
  
at him, his eyes misty and his face strained "I don't know what I'll do if something's happened to her Jack." he said,  
  
his voice breaking. Jack frowned at the distress on his friend's face before giving him a hard slap on the back, drawing  
  
him under his arm and pulling him towards the Wheel. "Don't you worry Will, we'll get her back for you. You're lucky  
  
you've got the fastest ship in the Carribean after her."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jewels, courtesies, an intense look, a wicked smile. The sound of my own laughter so foreign that it almost made me cry. I  
  
had never had cause to laugh before. Creeping out of that vile bed in the night, holding my breath, heart beating faster  
  
than any drum, hoping, hoping...  
  
"... I SAID what do you intend to do with me?!"   
  
Jade snapped out of her reverie and flicked a distracted glance at the indignant Elizabeth. She waved a languid hand at  
  
the dinner table before them "Might wanna eat something. Our cook, Old Syla, killed her first husband for not   
  
appreciatin' her cooking." Elizabeth's eyes widened and she nervously continued eating. Jade chuckled quietly to herself  
  
and reseated, one of her booted feet automatically weaving its way in between the platters and resting on the table.   
  
"Now, as to what I'm going to do with you, the answer to that is nothing. You simply need to give me directions   
  
somewhere." Elizabeth paused in eating and looked blank. "You're the mariner, not me. Where would I possibly know to  
  
take you?" she said, laughing incredulously. Jade gave a small 'hmmph' of laughter. Despite appearances, she quite   
  
liked Elizabeth. Unlike most of her aristocratic breed she had an independance and toughness that Jade respected.   
  
"You're going to take me to Isla de Muerto. Ah ah ah..." she tutted reproachfully when she saw the look of fear on  
  
Elizabeth's face and the beginnings of a denial, "I know you know where it is."   
  
Elizabeth's brain worked frantically as she stalled for time by taking a long draft of the wine she'd been given. Of  
  
course she knew where Isla de Muerto was, the greatest and most horrific event of her life had occured there. But the  
  
only intent that Jade could have there was a sinister one. "You do realise that Will and Jack will come after me don't  
  
you?" she improvised. Jade, not being an idiot, ignored the attempted diversion "You will not be hurt as long as you are  
  
on this ship. Consider yourself a guest. However, I do, insist, that you aid me in finding Isla de Muerto. I have   
  
some unfinished business with Barbossa." she said smoothly, her tone business-like, cold, efficient. Elizabeth froze and  
  
locked gazes with her, the full meaning of this knotting into an icy fist deep in her stomach. "You knew Barbossa?"   
  
Jade smirked, an ugly, vicious expression, her eyes flashing ashes they seemed so utterly dead. "You could say so."   
  
"But... he's dead."   
  
Jade quirked an eyebrow, as if such a thing didn't matter in the slightest. 


	4. Tell me about something beautiful you've...

Disclaimer: Own me myself and Irene... ok just me then, and Jade, and her crew. The rest is all someone else's. DAMN I  
  
wish I was that someone else.   
  
Plateado: Thanks for the tip re. paragraphs, u keep it up with ur story!  
  
Lilith Hollow: Awww thanks! I seriously loved ur story so I'm glad u like mine. I'm trying to get a balance between  
  
Jack being an idiot and the more serious, darker side of him, tell me when I go wrong, lol.  
  
jackfan2: YAY I'm not hated *does a little dance and puts away the suicide pills* hee hee. Thankee very kindly :)  
  
Daisy Sparrow: Hell yeh Jack has bad luck with the women! Just count the slaps, lol. I'm gonna try and do more stuff  
  
from Will's viewpoint, but I find him a really hard character to write.   
  
quiet-one145: Ooooh dear I hope I don't disapoint you now :S   
  
I've also had several ppl saying this is hard to read so I've been trying a lot harder with paragraphs and spacing stuff  
  
out. I'm kinda lazy with that stuff, sorry *nervous giggle*. Anyways, hope you enjoy...  
  
*4*  
  
For three days they had sailed almost continuously, attempting to gain speed and therefore the sight of the ship they   
  
sought. Jack rarely relinquished the wheel, on occasion reluctantly allowing Will to take over when the need for sleep  
  
became too much. His possessiveness of the ship had not flagged since it had been returned to him, in fact it had   
  
intensified as all that he had missed about the Pearl was sharply brought to his attention. It's graceful skimming over  
  
the sea's surface like something lighter than the foam that topped the waves, its clever ability when dodging was   
  
necessary, as it commonly was aboard a pirate ship.   
  
  
  
The day was turning to dusk, the sun skimming the horizon and setting the sky alight with rare purples and yellows when  
  
Jack's eyes viewed what they had been searching for. A black smudge against the otherwise monotonous display of sea, the  
  
familiar damaged sides with its unusual scaffolding billowing around it. A smile graced his lips and his eyes sparkled   
  
a radiant black. "There you are my Lovely." he said quietly to himself, before turning and addressing the crew. "Stand   
  
for attack! Load the cannons!"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"There coming up fast Cap'n!" roared Jade's first mate, a black woman with obsidian eyes and a fierce voice. Jade smiled  
  
almost to herself as the ship flew after them. "Of course they are Rita. That's the Black Pearl." Heading to the front  
  
of the ship, swiftly being flanked by Rita and Elizabeth, she yelled to the crew "Get ready to dance ladies. Get those  
  
cannons set!" Elizabeth span her round sharply, livid and panicked "This is insane! You said Jack was your friend!"   
  
Jade pinched the bridge of her nose exasperatedly and tried valiantly to think of a way that she would not be tempted to  
  
punch Elizabeth for her constant protests. The girl really did not have a minute amount of understanding despite her  
  
dealings with pirates. "Which is why I'm being nice luv, and am only blowing a FEW holes in that lovely ship of his. By  
  
all rights I should be blowing that god forsaken thing out of the water!" she snarled, spinning to face their oncoming  
  
target. "Starboard cannons, prepare to fire!"   
  
The cacophanous sound of the cannonballs being released shook the entire ship as those not on the cannons mastered the  
  
sails and turned the ship to the left away from the approaching Pearl. "Fire again! Keep tacking, don't let them   
  
close!" screamed Jade, pacing the ship as crewmembers scurried round her, dodging past her to continue with their tasks.   
  
She looked at Elizabeth, who clutched the side of the ship and looked back at their attackers, fear playing a pantomime   
  
of frowns across her face. "Will..." she whispered, the private call catching easily in the wind and travelling to   
  
Jade's ears. Jade felt her resolve flicker. She was doing her no harm, would do her no harm, and yet these stupid men  
  
had to follow her, and no one attacked the Sea Demon without reprisals. Even if they were people to which she held an  
  
affectionate regard and respect. She wondered how surprised Elizabeth would be if she was aware of just how much she  
  
knew of their adventure with Barbossa. ... But it HAD to be done. The hot hate and stinging cuts of sorrow that never  
  
seemed to fully die were a constant reminder that she had been... infected. Ruined. And whatever was needed to seal  
  
over the scars, would be done.   
  
Taking Elizabeth by the elbow she drew her away from the ship's side. "I don't wish them any harm Elizabeth. But I   
  
won't allow them to get in my way." she said. Elizabeth felt she saw a sadness beneath the hardness in those sparkling  
  
eyes that she had not before encountered and it surprised and touched her. Over the past four days, she had encountered  
  
Jade the deranged pirate, who had a penchant for rum that almost matched Jack's, a bizarre sense of humour and a   
  
theatrical, almost idiotic attitude to life around her. Life was simply an amusement to her, certainly not something to  
  
be taken seriously. And then she had seen the darker image of an inner self that Jade tried valiantly to keep under   
  
control, only glimpsed on occasion in the furious glint in her eye, the shocking violence she would exhibit, the brooding  
  
silences thick with tension that Elizabeth did not know how to break. But never before this lost, tired, world-wearied  
  
sadness of someone who seemed utterly crushed. Her stare had not left Jade this whole time, and Jade had not broken the  
  
gaze, allowing this perusal, undoubtedly aware of her exhibition of weakness and sustaining herself with a quiet dignity.   
  
Elizabeth felt she was far more now a person she could understand, a woman, as opposed to a pirate.   
  
Finally Jade's gaze flickered away to behind Elizabeth, and she turned to see the Black Pearl coming up along side them.   
  
Elizabeth started when she heard the sharp skimming noise of a sword being brought out and span again to face Jade. "Get  
  
below decks Liz, don't want you damaged." gritted Jade through her teeth, her eyes no longer on her, focused on the ship,   
  
hardened with grim resolve. "This doesn't have to happen!" Elizabeth said desperately in vain as Jade stalked away from   
  
her "They're setting to board us Cap'n!" yelled Rita. Elizabeth backed away to beneath the stairs, heart pounding   
  
painfully inside her chest. "Then let's make them wish they never did! ARM YOURSELVES!" roared Jade, and as crew of the  
  
Black Pearl swung aboard on ropes, Elizabeth lost sight of her in the chaos.   
  
  
  
The two crews collided with the intensity of Hell, swords bared and teeth set in snarls of fury. Elizabeth could only stare  
  
in mute horror at the vicious attack, the screams and clashings of metal upon metal deafening as people battled. Those  
  
who had used the cannons streamed past her up the stairs and threw themselves into the fight, spearing members of the  
  
Pearl's crew. The barren fear inside Elizabeth swiftly snapped. She had to do something! There was no need for this,  
  
she believed with all her heart that when Jade promised she would not be harmed it was the truth. Scrambling up the  
  
stairs on all fours, keeping herself low as possible, she seized the gun of a fallen woman out of her hands, checking to  
  
see if she still lived. Relieved that she did, she bolted upright and sprinted up the steps to where the Wheel stood,  
  
dodging knots of people locked in battle.  
  
How could she make herself be heard over all of this chaos? Inspiration hit her as she remembered the vague sound that  
  
had cut through her unconsciousness when she was first brought to this ship. The Horn. It rested next to the wheel, a  
  
bizarre thing made out of a pale cold substance; possibly a shell or even bone, that curled towards the end of its long  
  
distended neck. Lifting it and finding it surprisingly heavy, Elizabeth brought it to her lips and blew it as hard as  
  
she could. The noise was so resonant and all-consuming that Elizabeth dropped it in sheer surprise after only a few   
  
minutes. Looking up she noticed the deep silence she had created with this act, everyone still as the grave, eyes fixed  
  
on her. Slowly people were beginning to move again, cautiously standing down from their fighting stances, eyes darting  
  
to those they had been trying to kill. Stepping forward, Elizabeth skanned frantically through all the faces and found...  
  
Will, moving towards her, pushing his way through. "Elizabeth!" he breathed when he finally reached her, wrapping her  
  
tightly in his arms. "I'm all right..." she found herself murmuring over and over, drowning in his warmth. The two   
  
crews were beginning to look at each other nervily as the Black Pearl crew realised how easy it had been to get the girl   
  
back, and the Sea Demon crew saw that they did not seem to wish to press the matter further. "Uhhhh.... Elizabeth luv,  
  
what the Hell's going on?" asked Jack in hushed tones, eyebrows drawn together. "I'm fine, really, I've not been harmed  
  
in the slightest." she said, raising her voice so that the entire crew could here.   
  
"Too true Jack, haven't hurt a single hair on the darling's head."  
  
Jack turned to face that familiar voice.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was magnificent.   
  
She didn't look the same. That skin which had once been a delicate, lady-like cream was now a soft golden, burnished by  
  
the sun. No dresses, no corsets, no billowing skirts. Pirates clothes. Her hair blew free and wild in waves about her,  
  
that incredible lustrous red.  
  
The softness, the sad innocence and fear in those enormous eyes had all but died, she was no longer a little girl in any   
  
shape, but that sweet playfulness wrapped around a core of steel that he had loved so much was still there, glowing like   
  
a fire. Hardness was in those eyes now, attempting to encroach upon the warmth and wit he had known even if it had been   
  
concealed. She was filthy and wind-blown and a scar had marred that long neck of hers, but she was still beautiful.   
  
Jack slowly stepped forward now, close, forgetting the crews, forgetting what they were here for. His fingers were   
  
itching to drag her to him and touch her, to make up for lost time and relearn her. She still had a knack for doing   
  
that to him.   
  
"You're dead." It was not a question he asked as he took her in, his mind curiously blank except for the knowledge that  
  
Jade was standing in front of him. Beautiful Jade who was dead and who he had regretted ever having to endure the curse  
  
of setting foot on his ship. She smiled now, a strangely sad smile, shaking her head. "Sorry Jack, I'm afraid I'll  
  
have to prove you wrong there." she said, her voice affecting a humour that didn't seem to be backed up by the look in   
  
her eyes. "Salt water seems to do miracles for preserving wounds. I had to swim for four days, but I reached land   
  
eventually." she continued, turning away so she would not have to look at his dark, intense eyes that she had wanted to  
  
see again for so long and now couldn't bare the perusal of, pacing slightly before him. There was a long pause in which,  
  
for the longest time ever, Jack couldn't think of a thing to say. Just as strong as he had ever suspected. Four days!   
  
Damn, he needed a drink.   
  
"... So what happened to you? I heard miraculous stories of escape from the island Barbossa took you to. Something   
  
about some sea turtles and hairy backs." she said coolly, stopping her pacing, flicking a languid hand at her crew to   
  
tell them to stand back and sheath their weapons. "Sorry luv, I'm afraid my stories far less dramatic than yours. I   
  
just paid for passage on a boat of smugglers." Jack said, giving a slow dazzling smile, teeth glinting in the setting   
  
sun. Had he noticed the look of disapointment that fell across his crew's face that the amusing story was not true, he   
  
might have been less pleased. Jade smiled, a soft smile now. She ignored the twinge in her heart at the endearment used,  
  
not thinking herself fool enough to have sole possession of his affectionate terms. Her eyes wavered to the side of   
  
Jack's head and she raised an eyebrow.   
  
Jack flicked a hand up to see what she was looking at, coming into contact with   
  
one of the many trinkets wound into his black dreadlocked hair. It was a silver earring, set with jade and diamonds.   
  
He shrugged, his gaze going back to her. "What can I say, I guess I really am a sentimental romantic at heart." he said   
  
teasingly, another grin emerging. Will found himself pressed to think of another occasion when Jack had smiled so often   
  
and so sincerely. Jade flipped open her large jacket suddenly, opening one of the many inner pockets, a smaller one.   
  
She removed the other earring of the pair, dangling it between her fingertips.   
  
"Aren't we all?"   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Mwahahaaa lame I know, but plz R n R anyway! I wasn't sure about the fight scene so I made it rather short. Laterz XX 


	5. Surely nothing scares the GREAT Captain ...

Disclaimer: Nothing I own, Yoda I talk like.   
  
Jackfan2: hee hee, you read my mind, that's exactly what he SHOULD have done! Thank you soooo much! :)  
  
Daisy Sparrow: Yep, it is a ship full of women. Kinda cliche I know, but apparently there actually WERE whole ships of  
  
pirate women at the time, so I'm not totally going nuts. I'm gonna try and do more Will stuff, but it'll prob need much  
  
tweakage. And Jade is kiiiiiinda an old flame of Jack's, u'll find out soon enough ;).  
  
PschoPuppyDog: wahooo, thankee v. much, I try :)  
  
Rabid Cheese Bitch: Thanks a lot, stuff about Jade is coming up in next chapters, lots of flashbacks..  
  
Oooooh P.S. ppl, all of the titles as you might have noticed are now quotes. They're meant to be things that Jade and   
  
Jack have said to each other at one point or another in the past. If I forget to put them in somewhere in the story,  
  
uhhhh, my bad!  
  
Thank you sooo much people for the support, I really wasn't sure about writing this cuz the characters are so hard to do.  
  
Advice is much appreciated.  
  
** = Flashbacks.   
  
*5*  
  
**Jack remembered the day Jade had been brought aboard the Black Pearl. It wasn't often that women came aboard their ship,  
  
least of all so unwillingly. Least of all someone so sweet looking. The Black Pearl was his, Barbossa having not yet   
  
dared challenge him openly, fearing the strength of his influence with the crew. They had stopped for supplies at a port  
  
that was not memorable enough to merit the mention of its name, and Jack, in normal form, had joined a group of his men   
  
for a drink and had returned with them to the ship before collapsing in his cabin. It was one of the rare occasions when  
  
pillage and destruction had not been indicative of their arrival at the port, possibly because, as Jack later learnt,  
  
Barbossa had been otherwise occupied. He was normally the instigator behind the crew's ravenous attacks, something Jack  
  
did not object to providing they brought something worthwhile back with them. Over the cranks of Hell turning in his   
  
skull he had heard the raucous yells of a further group of his crew returning. Staggering out, he had come across his  
  
First mate Barbossa and those he had left with, staggering and laughing drunkenly, falling over, vomiting over the side  
  
of the ship, a throng of disorder. "Good on ya boys." he mumbled almost to himself, a lazy smile falling across his   
  
face. The one pale face amidst the sweaty, dirt streaked group caught his attention.   
  
Hair coiled in delicate spirals on the back of her head, her dress was simple, a non-descript blue-green. Not a whore   
  
then, he decided as his gaze meandered up the curve of her breasts, along the throat to her face. Definitely not a   
  
whore, if the lack of caked-on make-up was anything to go by. A delicious full mouth. Long eyelashes. Her huge luminiscent   
  
eyes darted round the ship, full of fear and wariness. But most of all, an unwillingness to be here. He could almost   
  
see her brain thinking of ways of escape. An arm slung round her carelessly, Barbossa tipped his head back to finish   
  
the remnants of a bottle of rum in his possession. Taking this opportunity in an action so swift it surprised even Jack,  
  
she whipped out from underneath his arm and darted for the plank down to the pier, leaping and landing on the boards   
  
before running up the pier. She only got halfway up before one of the crew caught up with her and carried her viciously   
  
struggling and screaming like a banshee, back up to the ship.   
  
Barbossa laughed and threw the empty rum bottle over the side, flicking a hand for her to be brought forward. "Good on   
  
yeh Rygan. You," he said, his cold eyes falling on the girl, slapping her hard across the face. Her head did not   
  
remain snapped to one side for long before he gripped her jaw in a vice grip and made her look at him. "Yer'll not be   
  
tryin' that again. Yeh don't want to be tryin' my patience girly." Her eyes were locked on his, fiery with futile rage.   
  
"I paid for yeh in good money, so if yeh know what's good for yeh, yer'll be more accomodatin'." he grated, his voice a   
  
harsh whisper. Grabbing her round the nape of the neck tightly, like one might grab a kitten, he dragged her over to   
  
where Jack stood, propped against the side of the boat watching the proceedings. "Cap'n, I bought this runaway off a  
  
load of whores who don't want the cost o' feedin' her anymore. Permission to keep her in my cabin." Barbossa asked, the  
  
lecherous glint in his eye making it more than apparent what for. Jack felt the girl's eyes on him, but when he looked  
  
at her she turned her head away, fuming with helpless distress. Paid and bought. A done deal. It was none of Jack's  
  
business. "Think she'll be of any use to the rest of us Barbossa? I don't want anyone who can't pull their weight on my   
  
ship." asked Jack, straightening and giving Barbossa his most scathing look. As of late Barbossa had been taking   
  
liberties that Jack did not appreciate. "I'm sure we can find use for her Cap'n. I'll make sure of it." Barbossa   
  
replied, giving her neck a vicious squeeze that made her swallow tightly. Jack nodded in agreement, his eyes returning  
  
to her lowered face. "What's yer name luv?" he inquired, cautious to not sound too threatening, or too gentle for that  
  
matter. Barbossa's grip on the girl was suggestive of how he'd tolerate advances towards her. "Jade Quinn sir."  
  
"Captain luv. Captain Jack Sparrow." he said, flashing her a grin when her eyes dared to peek up and look at him   
  
again. Her eyes did not react to the smile other than to take him in intently. "Right then..." sighed Barbossa with a  
  
grin of triumph on his face, dragging her round and shoving her towards his cabin. The rest of the crew began to laugh  
  
lasciviously "See yeh later Barbossa!" "Make it an hour or so lads!" he cackled before slamming the door shut. Jack   
  
shook his head against the twinge of pity he felt for the girl in his heart. He knew what was to come next, and he   
  
doubted the girl would endure it silently.**   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The two ships had remained anchored, locked together in the middle of the sea, boards thrown across to allow passage from  
  
one to the other. Having witnessed the perfectly amiable encounter between the two captains, followed by the declaration  
  
that they and Will and Elizabeth needed time to talk, the two crews had mingled in relaxed terms, tending to the   
  
wounded, sharing alcohol and fights, in a typical display of Pirate commaraderie. Belowdecks on the Pearl, in Jack's   
  
cabin, the four conferred.   
  
"Why did you feel the need to kidnap Elizabeth if you claim you would not hurt her?" demanded Will, his glare fixed on  
  
Jade. "Returning to Isla de Muerto is not something I'm sure any of you would want to do. So I doubted I could say  
  
'hey Liz luv, mind giving me a few directions?' and receive a yes" she replied, her words dripping a toxic sarcasm.   
  
"You had no right to take her by force!" yelled Will, standing up sharply. "Will boy, sit down..." Jack said wearily,  
  
waving his hand theatrically and downing some rum. Jade shook her head in disbelief "And you're Bootstrap Bill's boy?  
  
Shame all that anger's been directed to people's 'right' to do this and the 'etiquette' of that." she said mockingly,  
  
swivvling her hand in an impromptu bow. Will slowly sat down "Is there anybody who didn't know my father?" he asked in  
  
exasperation, his glare not faltering. "He was a good man. One of the few of that cursed crew that didn't think my  
  
body was property for all." Jade said venomously, and Will didn't fail to notice that Jack physically winced as if struck  
  
at this comment.   
  
"You still haven't told us why you want to go there luv." Jack said, looking up from his bottle finally.  
  
Will was relieved, thinking that Jack had chosen to lie low throughout the entire discussion. His reaction to Jade's  
  
appearance had made Will wonder what exactly their past relationship had been, and whether a pretty face would sway not  
  
only Jack's judgement, but his self-preservation instincts. Jade's amber gaze silkily slid round to Jack's face "Captain.  
  
Captain Jade Quinn. And my reason for going, is no concern of yours. Simply show me the route, and you'll never have to  
  
see me again." Jade replied, standing and placing her hands on the table in front of Jack, lowering her face to stare   
  
back at him. As Will took in the careful looks between them he was not entirely sure whether that was what Jack wanted  
  
at all. There was a long pause before Jack tilted back in his chair, never breaking the gaze he shared with her.   
  
"All right." he said finally, lazily. Will shot a glance at Elizabeth to gauge her reaction and she showed him nothing.  
  
He began to doubt his own harsh misgivings about Jade, but not much. But still, if Elizabeth seemed to trust her...   
  
"You two go for a swim or something. We need some privacy, savvy? No one comes in until I say so." said Jack, bringing  
  
himself upright in his seat again. Will nodded grimly in agreement and stood, leaving with Elizabeth on his arm.   
  
"I'm not sure about this at all." said Will, the worry clearly apparent in his voice because Elizabeth turned him and  
  
kissed him softly. "I believe her when she claims she would have let no harm come to me. And if that is true, then she  
  
can't be so bad a person as to do anything sinister at Isla de Muerto." Elizabeth said, her voice gentle to avoid being  
  
heard as they travelled abovedecks. They watched as the two crews conversed, dramatically detailing attacks, partaking  
  
in arm wrestling competitions. It must have been a welcome change from seeing solely your own sex month in and out.   
  
"You have been here for four days. She could have fed you all kinds of lies..." Will replied somewhat sulkily, still  
  
concerned about how Elizabeth's safety had been jeopardized. "Jade does not seem to share confidences easily Will.   
  
Nearly all information I have gathered of her is from her eyes, not her speech. Maybe if you did not glare at her and  
  
simply looked at her for an instant you would see it too..." said Elizabeth, mildly reproachfully as they stood and  
  
looked out at the sea.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
** It was only for a few weeks that the screaming continued. The first night it had undoubtedly awoken half of the  
  
rest of the crew, blood-chilling and utterly desolate. Jade was not a coward. She fought him, she tried, valiantly, to  
  
keep him off her. But she was still soft and weak then, only nineteen, not raised to hurt, and she was not accustomed to  
  
the harsh punches, the backhands across the face that made the world spin with stars. She was not used to the pain of a  
  
beating when she did not do as she was told, did not lie on her back and keep quiet, but still she fought like a hell cat  
  
until there was nothing left in her with which to fight. It was only then, blood streaming from her nose and mouth, that  
  
she allowed it, his heavy, hot, rank stench hanging over her as he put his tongue in her mouth, tore at her clothes, the  
  
weight of him seeming to soak through her and fill her with all that he was. Only when her rips were so painful from   
  
punches, did she stop screaming that night. But it did not mean the screams stopped.  
  
Barbossa did not even need to be in the room for Jade to scream, locked in as she was like an animal to do nothing but   
  
pace and wait in fear for the night when he would come again. The beatings would vary, never relinquished fully because  
  
SHE never relinquished fully. Depending on how much of a mess she had made, ripping and tearing at everything in the  
  
room, scraping at the door until her hands were bloodied.   
  
"You're like a bitch dog that needs trainin'." he'd growl as he threw her against the wall by the hair.   
  
And then... the screams stopped. **  
  
** Jack had not been able to bear another night of the screams, hadn't been able to sleep. Why did the girl have to be  
  
so damn resilient? Wasn't she tired of warding Barbossa off? He didn't know what it was that didn't allow him to sleep  
  
through the girl's nightly anguish. It was a deepseated feeling of unease, a coldness in the pit of his stomach that no  
  
amount of rum seemed to be able to warm up. Of course he felt sorry for the girl, of course he did... But what was he  
  
meant to do about it?  
  
  
  
Throwing his trousers and shirt back on, not wanting to wait for the girl to start screaming, he headed out of his cabin  
  
to the front of the ship, the cold night wind skimming over his heated skin and making him calm instantly. He reached  
  
the wheel and stroked his hands across the smooth panes of wood that formed its shape. Taking a deep breath of the cool  
  
night air, he pondered their next destination when out of the corner of his eye he saw the slightest of movement.   
  
Turning his head slowly, his eyes narrowed into the dark, piercing the shadows. Remaining stock still, save for the   
  
breeze lifting tendrils of her hair, was the girl, sitting on the edge of the ship, her head turned so it was apparent  
  
that she could see him. Bloody typical, a woman trying to kill herself on his ship! Frantically thinking of a delicate  
  
way of handling the situation, he flashed her a quick, almost nervous smile.   
  
"Uhhh, hello."   
  
She didn't move or say anything, holding her breath. Undoubtedly hoping he'd forget about her and go away. He tried   
  
again.  
  
"Shouldn't you be tucked up in bed with Barbossa?"   
  
She physically recoiled at this and he mentally cursed himself, waving an apologetic hand and dancing nervously from one  
  
swaying foot to the other, praying she didn't fall off. Not delicate, definitely NOT delicate. He heard a dry cough and  
  
looked up to her face to see she was hesitating upon speaking.  
  
"... I let him... tonight. He leaves the door unlocked if ... I behave." her voice was so quiet and soft, barely having  
  
lost its child-like edge. But the sensuous appeal was fully fledged despite this, in the subtle purr of her speech.   
  
"Leave me alone?"   
  
It wasn't a demand, but a request, and he saw tears trembling on those long eyelashes. "I can't do it when you're   
  
watching." she whispered, teeth gritted against the wavering in her voice. Jack swallowed hard before he found himself  
  
able to speak again. "Then I guess I'm just going to have to stick around luv." he replied, stepping forward and getting  
  
a firm, but gentle grip on one of her wrists. Her head lowered as tears spilled down her cheeks silently, and he lifted  
  
her chin to make her look at him. His eyes narrowed when he saw the enormous purple bruise that blighted the other half  
  
of the girl's face, covering her forehead and her eye. Barbossa had done a real number on her. "You don't have to do  
  
anything stupid luv. I'll take care of you, don't you worry about it." he said softly, lifting her one leg, then the   
  
other back over the edge of the ship until she was standing safely aboard again. She was so stiff and awkward, and when  
  
he saw a melee of other bruises over her pale skin, he did not need to question why. What disturbed Jack even further   
  
was that he meant his promise. She laughed quietly, a nasty sound "What can you do? You're Captain of the ship, but I'm  
  
not part of the ship. He bought me. He.... BOUGHT me! Like a damn dog!" she seethed through her teeth, tears flowing   
  
even as her voice spat anger. "Hey sssshhhh... Don't you worry luv. I can handle Barbossa." he said, giving her a   
  
confident, reassuring grin. She locked gazes with him, searching for the sincerity of this promise, no doubt suspicious   
  
of why Jack even cared. Jack was wondering why himself. God forsaken woman with her beautiful face and her tears and   
  
her not deserving this, making his heart tighten up like he was some whelp!   
  
Slowly her heated breathing ceased, and she wiped the tears from her eyes, wincing as her hand made contact with her   
  
swollen, tender face. "I've probably got something for that eye of yours..." he said, lightly touching her face before   
  
she stepped back, head snapping round to the side of the ship. Voices could be vaguely heard from belowdecks. "I   
  
should go. He'll wake up. Thank you." she said, eyes dancing with life again as a small, almost shy smile crept across   
  
her face before she ran away to the stairs,her feet making only the tiniest tapping noise against the boards.   
  
Jack remained as his heart fumed with a confused state of anger and uncertainty.** 


	6. I'll give it to you sometimes old Barbos...

Milady*Sparrow: Wow! Thank you, that was such a sweet review! and YAY, I'm on someone's fav. author list! *does the  
  
dance of joy*. I hope you continue to enjoy it :).  
  
*6*  
  
The night had closed in for a second time without Jack or Jade leaving his cabin. Both crews had taken to making   
  
sniggering suggestions about exactly what WAS going on behind the closed door, which only served to increase Will's   
  
personal concerns. "It's Jack isn't it lad? He's never been unobliging with pretty young gals" said Gibbs. "Cap'n  
  
Quinn'll eat your Jack lad alive!" sneered one of the girls from the Sea Demon, laughing at the offended look on Gibb's   
  
face.   
  
In fact, actions inside the cabin were perfectly respectable, if a little cluttered. Maps, routes and scraps of paper   
  
smothered the small room, with the two of them pouring over one map laid out across the table.   
  
"Then it would be best to go across the Cavernous Slope..."  
  
"The Cavernous Slope? The rocks there are like daggers! What's wrong with going across here?" exclaimed Jade, leaning  
  
down and tracing her preferred route around the slope with a finger. Jack blew a large section of her hair that was  
  
getting in his way to one side before shaking his head, "The sea around there's too unpredictable, and the winds we've  
  
been having would end up with you being carried miles off course.". She raised a challenging eyebrow "Don't think I   
  
can handle a storm or two Jack Sparrow?" she retorted, eyes sparkling with barely concealed humour. "It doesn't matter  
  
what I think. It's the Captain who has to do the thinking when you're on an expedition, and since I'm not going to be  
  
on this expedition, nor doing the thinking, then I think I'll have to do less of the thinking for you, so you can rely   
  
on your own thinking." he said swiftly, raising his eyebrows sarcastically in return. She grinned slightly and rolled   
  
her eyes. He had always tried to do that to her in the past, confuse her with his silvery tongue, talking in riddles, or  
  
at least so fast that all he said seemed like riddles. "Ahhh but I know that you didn't go over the Cavernous Slope  
  
yourself last time" she replied, grinning knowingly.   
  
He flopped back down in his chair and viewed her suspiciously, his kohl-smudged eyes wary and calculating. "How d'you   
  
know what route I did or did not take?" he said finally, his tone subtly edged with steel. She shrugged, affecting a   
  
casual attitude as she sat on the table. "When I heard the Pearl was headin' to Port Royale, the same port you were at,   
  
I sent Gretchen, a girl from my crew, to keep an eye on things. To save your drunken hide if necessary, to tell me what   
  
was goin' on, pay for informers about the place so I'd know what happened to the Pearl. 'Course I wasn't expectin' Will   
  
and Liz to get involved. I never thought Barbossa would find Bootstrap's boy." Jack left his questioning regarding   
  
Jade's knowledge of what had gone on for another time, as well as his objections to his 'drunken hide' needing to be   
  
saved. Other questions he wanted answered demanded attention.   
  
"Why did you never try and contact me?"  
  
She smirked unpleasantly, not meeting his gaze and picking at her boot. She became painfully aware of his hot stare that  
  
never seemed to leave her, but refused to meet it. It had been years, and she wasn't a fool enough to think she   
  
mattered more than dirt to a pirate who had never displayed attachment to anything other than rum, wild living, and his   
  
precious ship.  
  
"Honestly? I didn't think you'd remember me." she said finally, through meticulously gritted teeth that maintained a   
  
blank voice, filtering out feeling. Still refusing to look at him, she missed the flicker of disbelief across his face.  
  
How could he forget her? She was one of the Lost Dead he quietly mourned every day, though no one would ever know it.   
  
She was... Jade.   
  
"I've thought about you over the years." he said after a pause, leaning closer. She let out a snort of laughter,   
  
wrenching her hat off and throwing it on the bed, shaking her hair out. "Was that after the first or last bottle of rum  
  
of an evenin'? Or in between the fiftieth and fifty first whore's bed you've lounged in?" she said derisively, the  
  
tirade seeming far less righteous when her brain desperately requested a bottle of the afore-mentioned rum. Jack   
  
ignored this comment, slowly untangling the earring from his mussed hair and flicking it through his fingers. "I thought  
  
about the talks we used to have at night when the rest of the crew was asleep. I thought about how you could down more  
  
rum than half of the men I've ever met. Most of all, I thought of how a girl who was too scared to protect herself,   
  
found strength enough to protect me." He gripped her wrist tightly as she continued to elude his gaze, forcing her to   
  
look at him. "Why save someone like me when you wouldn't even save yourself?"   
  
Her eyes misted slightly, and she shook her head before shrugging "I don't know. You just seemed worth saving." she   
  
replied after a soft silence, smiling and giving a short, sad laugh at her own sentimentality. Her gaze shot back to   
  
him as she felt him gently turning over he clenched fist. Unclasping each tightened finger patiently, he placed the  
  
earring in her palm before closing her fingers around it again, both hands pressed over her own. Jade's breath caught as  
  
she ended up trapped in that look she had dreaded and dreamt of all at once. There was now not just one proud pirate in  
  
this equation, not one person who despite all the evil they had seen would maintain the free idiocy of someone who did  
  
not care.   
  
Life was not to be taken seriously when it could end in a heartbeat.   
  
And certain things, were not for saying.   
  
As if sharing this thought with her at the exact same time, Jack flashed her his trademark charming grin "Of course I'm  
  
worth saving luv, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!" She laughed and relaxed, the tense moment dispelled. Her heart remembered  
  
how to keep beating when Jack was touching her and she raised a sarcastic eyebrow.   
  
"I'm sure Jack"  
  
"Captain Jack Sparrow Jade luv." he reminded, laughing when she rolled her eyes, keeping his hands over hers, not   
  
wasting an opportunity to have her skin against his. He rubbed one callous thumb over her knuckles, sombreing slightly  
  
"I'm glad you're alive Jade." he said.  
  
I've missed you he thought.  
  
She grinned, not acknowledging the fast beating of her own heart, or that Jack was stepping dangerously close to the  
  
territory of what remained unsaid. "So am I mate." she laughed.  
  
I've missed you she thought.  
  
There was a moment of warm silence between them before he grinned again, cheekily. "Told you I'd give you that once  
  
Barbossa wasn't around." continued Jack, nodding towards the earring in her hand. Her face dropped and all happiness   
  
and relaxation was lost. She stood up sharply and dropped the earring into his lap. "Perhaps you should keep it for a  
  
while longer then." she said quietly before marching from the room.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
**Jade had noticed Jack the instant she had stepped aboard the Black Pearl. But of course she had, he was the roaming  
  
face, the drunken devil watching at the edge as her heart pounded with fear. He was the beautiful one. He commanded   
  
the wary respect of the crew who never knew quite what to make of him. Those who thought him a fool were proved wrong   
  
very swiftly. Maybe he was a fool, but a clever one. A dangerous one. Not that he mattered to her. She had to contend  
  
with her lot, with her fate as the whore of Barbossa. But she learnt to live with her lot. As the first few weeks of  
  
resistance had gone on, when every time he kicked her and beat her and took her, a piece of her died, she had realised   
  
the merit of staying mute. Staying silent. If survival meant that she must lie on her back, stare at the ceiling,   
  
think of anything but what was happening to her, then she would.  
  
And she did. Jade went cleanly from the screaming resistance to the perfect sea wench. She mended, she cleaned, she  
  
cooked. Let Barbossa think he had her trained, as he clearly did, laughing with the rest of the crew as she meticulously  
  
fixed their shirts, made their meals. Whatever he needed to believe if it would keep her safe. When he dragged her onto  
  
his lap as she served them and smothered her neck with bristly offensive kisses she allowed it, tolerated it. Used the   
  
sugary tones she had created for seduction, just for him. The false, grotesque endearments that almost choked in her   
  
mouth as she thought of what she was reduced to. She did it. Tried to avoid the stare of Jack. Jack.  
  
Never sure whether he was the one problem, or the one saving grace of her curse on this ship. Because she never knew   
  
whether it would be better to die completely, and let Barbossa have the shell of what she was. Or whether the last  
  
resistance of all her true attention being on the Captain of the ship was truly sweeter than any other kind of   
  
resistance. When her resolve of life had crumpled and all she had wanted was death, Jack had been there, with his   
  
bizarre charm and idiotic clumsiness. Whether either of them had wanted the others attention, they now received it   
  
avidly, though neither would ever dare admit it. He never did anything to act upon his promise of protection, but he   
  
didn't need to. The fact that she now shared a bond, however flimsy and unjustified, with someone else aboard the ship,   
  
made Jade feel more safe. Whilst the rest of the crew resembled a faceless mass to her, he stood apart. He did not   
  
ignore her. He did not see her just as Barbossa's whore, the woman who he could make mend his shirts. In the   
  
smallest ways he made himself someone to her. He offered her rum when they sat down to drink, he didn't grope her as he  
  
walked past simply because he could. He was, no matter how ridiculously the word seated itself with him considering his  
  
crazed behaviour and profession, a gentleman. A ruthless, drunken, egotistical, deranged, lecherous, gentleman.   
  
And so slowly, Jade began venturing out from under Barbossa's heavy constraining arm at night as he slept, to stand on  
  
deck. It gave her peace, time to assemble her thoughts - what few were left. It allowed her to be fully herself once  
  
again, to stop the lie in which she wanted Barbossa's attentions and was willing to be a cook and skivvy for this   
  
abhorrent crew. As if on mutual understanding after a few first chance encounters, nearly every night, at least for a   
  
short while, Jack was also on deck.   
  
Desperate to make sure he did not get the wrong idea, she wrapped herself heavily in a blanket, trying to cover the   
  
contours of her body beneath her nightgown. She had to preserve herself, she couldn't dare risk stepping out from the  
  
boundaries Barbossa had set. If he even knew what she did every night... And all the more worse if it was Jack, his   
  
Captain, the man Barbossa had to bitterly consider his superior. She would receive the pain for his attentions, get the  
  
beatings for any looks exchanged, because Jack could not be touched.   
  
The talk was at first limited, for what did a young girl turned whore and a pirate have to say to one another? But Jade   
  
didn't care, it was enough to have a companion of sorts when she felt so utterly alone and so utterly false the way she   
  
was now. For whatever reason, she did not feel she had to maintain the face of the 'lover' of Barbossa, around Jack.   
  
Inevitably, she was sure this reason was because of the almost tangible brooding resentment between Barbossa and Jack.   
  
Barbossa was old, and vicious and twisted, and to serve under a man who was none of these things, who had no wish to   
  
kill for no reason, to butcher and destroy, plainly aggravated him. Jade did not need the words to see all too clearly   
  
in the looks that were cast and the teeth that were gritted, what picture was painted between the two.   
  
"How have you been then Jade?" exclaimed Jack, only for her to put a shushing finger to her own lips, motioning for him  
  
to stay quiet. He nodded theatrically and mimed silence, which Jade had to bite down her on her cheek not to laugh at.   
  
They were a bare few feet from where Barbossa and the rest of the crew were drinking, in the small galley where Jade was  
  
collecting up more bottles for the crew. Even talking to Jade was not allowed, unless it was a demand or a lecherous  
  
comment, and so Jade cautiously settled the bottles on a tray as she replied.   
  
"I've been all right. Bored, restless, but what can be expected when I'm just the skivvy?" "And a damn fine skivvy too  
  
luv., but we must see about teaching you some of the rudiments of sailing a ship." said Jack, trying to snatch one of   
  
the bottles off the tray only to have his hand slapped. Jade's heart swelled with good humour at Jack's stupid antics,   
  
and with the prospect of actually learning things on deck. The background feeling of fear, that Barbossa would see them,  
  
never quite left her however. "I see no more bruises. Of course I could give a far more thorough check..." said Jack,   
  
his eyes raking her body before he gave her a lazily cheeky grin. Jade's cheeks bloomed with embarassment as she   
  
swatted him with a cloth, before she became serious once more. "He hasn't had cause to hit me for a while. When you're  
  
forced to dance with the devil, you learn the tune he likes very quickly." she murmured quietly, shuffling the bottles on  
  
the tray, wanting to delay her return. "I thought maybe you'd started to enjoy yourself."  
  
Furious, Jade turned and punched Jack directly in the face, as soon as she did it realising how stupid it was. He   
  
smacked hard up against the wall, a look of total surprise on his face as blood dripped from his nose.   
  
"What's goin' on round there?"   
  
Frozen in utter fear, Jade looked at the ground, her heart in her mouth.   
  
"Nothin' much Barbossa, just got a demonstration for how to ward off sailors in Tortuga."   
  
The crew laughed, and sound continued. Jade looked up in shock that Jack had covered for her even after she had punched  
  
him. "I... I'm sorry..." she managed to stutter, but he shook his head and grinned. "You're a little spitfire aren't   
  
you luv?" he said before returning to the table.**  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Uhhh hee hee? I'm not really sure about the first bit, I didn't know if Jack was coming across right at all. Gah, ah   
  
well, plz tell me what you think :) XX 


	7. What she wants with Barbossa

GOD I so have no life I just KEEP updating! I hope nobody's complaining tho *sheepish grin, kills the sheep trying to  
  
steal it's grin back*  
  
Milady*Sparrow: Thankee v. muchly, glad ur still liking it. The flashbacks are little all over the place so I hope I'm  
  
getting them right, lol.  
  
quiet-one145: Ooooh damnit I'm sorry *removes fish hook from ur mouth* damn, I got blood on ur shirt and everything :S   
  
Hee hee seriously tho thanx soo much, u were my first reviewer so I'm so glad that ur still hanging in there and putting  
  
up with me, :D.  
  
Lilith Hollow: Yay! Splendiforous! Luv that word :D! Thankee, I like Jade, I hope she ain't Mary Sue-ish, but I think  
  
she's too much of a moody cow to be one, lol. Plus Will kinda hates her so I don't think u can have a main character  
  
hating them and them still being a Mary Sue and ooh I'm babbling again.... hee hee *clamps mouth shut*  
  
I am honestly trying to space it all out more, but last time I dumped loads of spaces in and it all still looked crammed  
  
together so I'm just gonna have to space like a mad woman. Oh and this chapters kinda long and has mildly smutty bits   
  
in it. Enjoy.....  
  
*7*  
  
"Now I'm havin' a thought Jade, actually I'm having a lot of thoughts but my main one runs along the lines of: how about  
  
you start coughing up some information about what you're planning?" said Jack loudly as he followed Jade, attracting the  
  
attention of the assorted crew members on the Pearl. "Nothin' you need to worry about Jack." said her retreating back,  
  
her voice once again cool, confident, in control. Not the intimate voice he'd heard in the cabin. "I'm worryin' simply  
  
BECAUSE you keep insisting it's nothing for me to be worrying about Poppet." he said, dodging round one of her crew in a   
  
bid to keep up with her as she marched towards her own boat. Jumping up on to the board across the two ships, she set   
  
across, only for the loud thud behind her to indicate Jack was continuing to tail her. Gritting her teeth, she slowed   
  
as he called after her "You might as well start talking luv., 'cause we both know I haven't told you the whole route yet.  
  
And at this rate I'm just goin' to have to follow you and your pot-holed little bucket of a ship all the way there   
  
anyway."   
  
Overcome with a sharp flare of anger, Jade swung round, her fist raised. Jack caught her wrist in a tight grip  
  
before her backhand could meet his face, the bones in her arm grinding together as their eyes met. The board they both  
  
stood on rocked precariously from the swift movements. "You're not following me anywhere Sparrow. And it's not a   
  
pot-holed old bucket of a ship, it's an antique." she said with icy, manic sarcasm, flashing him a wide, crazed grin.   
  
Crew members from each ship glanced nervously from one to the other, having now established a very amiable relationship  
  
between the two not really wishing to start fighting again. The fact that both of their Captains were dangerously   
  
wobbling over the middle of the Meditteranean did not help things. His black eyes burnt into hers "How are you gonna   
  
stop me following you luv.? The sea's free terrain last time I checked." he smirked, only for her to rip her hand out   
  
of his grip and aim a punch again. The board shifted alarmingly and Jade's balance went, pitching her round before Jack   
  
grabbed her round the waist and pulled her up again.   
  
Anger at least for now held in check as she waited for the board to stop rocking, Jade allowed her back to be pressed up   
  
against Jack, swallowing nervously as his arms tightened round her waist. His breath stirred the hair around the nape   
  
of her neck as he leant into the curve of her neck and murmured against her ear "Your decision luv. You can try and   
  
punch me again and you can go for a swim, or we can talk." Jack felt her tremble either with rage or something else and   
  
grinned, trying to ignore the luscious smell of her hair. "Fine, let's talk." she said through gritted teeth, tugging   
  
to be released. "Sure you can stand without me luv.?" he said teasingly, only to have his foot stamped on. Grimacing,   
  
he turned to the rest of the crew on his ship "We'll be stopping in Tortuga lads and ladies, so we can assess our   
  
plans."   
  
Jade stepped across onto her own ship and marched to her cabin, giving Will and Elizabeth a nod as she went past "Liz.  
  
Will." Will gave Elizabeth a confused look "Since when have you been Liz?" he said, trying to keep the suspicion from  
  
his voice. Elizabeth shrugged and smiled "She's the only one who calls me it. I like it." They looked up to see Jack  
  
following after her "Getting yourself in trouble again Jack? Done anything you didn't deserve to get slapped for yet?"   
  
said Will, grinning teasingly at his friend as he swayed past him. "I'll try and avoid it mate, old Jade doesn't slap,  
  
she punches." called Jack back to them as he continued inside the cabin.   
  
Upon entering, he saw Jade had removed her hat, and her huge jacket, and was lying on her bed staring up at the ceiling.  
  
Jack contemplated pushing his luck and trying to join her on the bed, but didn't quite want to risk a black eye marring  
  
his pretty looks, and so sat down on the chair instead. "You know what Barbossa did to me." she said, so quietly he  
  
almost didn't hear her. He nodded, clearing his throat nervously and fiddling, shuffling bits of paper around on her  
  
desk as darkness filled up his chest. "Yeh, I knew. How couldn't I have?" She continued to stare at the ceiling, her  
  
eyes blank and empty and dead, one hand almost absentmindedly tangling itself in her hair.   
  
"I was an innocent, before then. True I lived in a corrupt world with debauched people but I'd never had that corrupt   
  
nature happening to me, right in front of me. He bought me like a dog, and beat me like a dog, and trained me, like a   
  
dog. I was nothing, I was barely human, I was a piece of meat, a possession. All I ever did was take, all I ever did   
  
was endure. I let him flow over me like water in a bid to keep myself alive and all I did was kill myself by soaking up   
  
all the evil in him until I was just as bad. A light can't survive when it's choking in darkness. I tried to tell   
  
myself that I wasn't really there, I wasn't really seeing the things I was seeing, and so none of it really mattered.   
  
He humiliated me, he degraded me."   
  
Jade slowly sat up, eyes bright with tears that she would not shed as she looked at Jack. "All I ever wanted since the  
  
day that bastard scum bought me, was to be free. And every time I think I am I can feel the memory of what he did to me  
  
deep in my guts, holding me down where I'm trapped and there's nowhere for me to escape to. I can't stop feeling the hate  
  
and anger he tied around my neck like a possession tag and I CAN'T let that anger go until I see him pay." she hissed  
  
vehemently, trying in vain to hold the anger in. "He's dead Jade. I saw to it myself. D'you think I didn't want   
  
revenge on him as much as you do?" said Jack, feeling the heat of his own hate that he thought had been stored away coming  
  
up beneath his tongue. Not just revenge for himself, but revenge for Jade too. Her words had hit him sharp inside his  
  
stomach until every word that crept from her mouth physically pained him. He should have killed him sooner. She had  
  
been everything that was sweet and innocent and everything that he had never been and he'd let Barbossa destroy that.   
  
Jade gave a small chuff of laughter, the eyes still dead, maliciously half-lidded as she sat up on her knees and crawled   
  
to the end of the bed. "But Jack, you're not a woman. You're not capable of the same kind of hate." There was a pause  
  
before she straightened swiftly, controlling her emotions, blinking to set the tears back. She began speaking, coldly,  
  
professionally, with a bitter sweet tinge to her voice that fascinated and horrified Jack all at once.   
  
"I'm going to Isla de Muerto. And when I get there, I am going to bring Barbossa back from the grave. The curse suited   
  
him, I was happy under its destruction because he would never know happiness again. So I am going to take those coins   
  
he loved so much to spend, and I am going to take him, and his hell-pit crew, to the Minotaur tunnels. They exist under   
  
the mountain for miles in twists and turns that dozens of pirate crews have hidden in and never come out of again, losing   
  
themselves in the endless dark. And I am going to see to it, that they never, leave that place again, and are never   
  
free to live or die, with that Curse that fitted them so perfectly, upon them forever."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
**They had found a secluded little cove nestled into a larger island with remnants of a ship wreck strewn across the   
  
beach. A ship wreck, Jack had shrewdly concluded, meant survivors, who had no choice but to come to this island. There  
  
was no other one for miles. And survivors, meant the bounty they had taken with them from the ships. They had sailed  
  
close in before dropping the anchor and going out with the rowboats. For once, Barbossa was bringing Jade along with the  
  
group that were to go ashore. Ever since the 'incident' in the galley, his suspicion of his little pet had gone up once  
  
more, to the extent that he didn't trust her to be left on the boat out of his eyesight. No doubt he had also grown  
  
wary of her due to the time she spent now abovedecks. Under Jack's instruction, she now tended to the ship just like  
  
every other crew member.   
  
"It'll be more work for the girl Cap'n." Barbossa had said, eyes narrow with mistrust before Jade had shot in swiftly.  
  
"I don't mind the extra work." The look between her and Jack was swift but charged before she ducked her head down again.  
  
Of course most of the rest of the crew were too impatient to teach her anything but the elementaries of what she needed   
  
to know, and so Jack had got further opportunity to spend time with her, showing her how to lift the sail without being  
  
dragged up by the pull of the wind, making her climb up to the crow's nest. Whenever he showed her things in more   
  
intimate ways, moving her hands to the right places on the ropes, moving her round by that narrow waist of hers, he would  
  
catch the barely contained look of fuming anger on Barbossa's face and had smirked despite himself. A fabulous addition  
  
to enjoying Jade was how much it infuriated Barbossa, and it delighted him to push the first mate to his limits,   
  
twirling a lock of Jade's hair absentmindedly between his fingers, paying her far more attention than Barbossa knew was  
  
merited. But still he knew Jade was terrified of the repurcussions of his actions, which would be put upon her, and so  
  
had to an extent controlled himself. At first he had attempted to convince himself that he only found interest in Jade  
  
because it riled Barbossa, a man he deeply mistrusted. But the lie had not lasted long within himself. She was   
  
beautiful, and funny, and tough as boots despite her sweetness. The tricks she played with Barbossa showed her to have   
  
the makings of a pirate, and her eagerness to learn further demonstrated that. He was slowly liking her more and more,   
  
as a person. It amused Jack to realise that she was one of the first women he had not had sex with that he had bothered   
  
with in the slightest. Getting to know women had always been for one thing, and whilst he wanted her that was not all   
  
she was. "I'm getting soft in my old age" he sighed to himself on more than one occasion.   
  
The group of the crew that had come ashore trawled up the beach, the sand hot under their feet, glancing down at the  
  
jestsum from time to time when suddenly they all jumped at the loud "AH HAH!" from Jack. Spinning sharply, they all  
  
saw him kicking a rowing boat that had been hidden beneath branches to be obscured from the sea. "Captain Jack Sparrow's  
  
never wrong boys. Survivors!" he exclaimed, giving the boat another kick as if to convey its solid nature to them.   
  
"They couldn't 'ave gone far, if they were carryin' things and some of 'em were probably wounded." commented Bo, a tall  
  
thick-set black crew member with scars and adornments all over his face. Jack motioned for them all to follow, giving  
  
Jade a reassuring wink as she looked uncertainly about her. Having been on a ship for the past four months, a ground   
  
that did not move seemed distinctly abnormal and she realised much to her mixed amusement and horror that she was moving  
  
like Jack. Catching on very swiftly to the fact that she was meant to be being quiet, she crept into the darkness of the  
  
trees with the rest of the crew, keeping an eye on Jack's hat a couple of feet before her as an indication of where she  
  
was meant to be going. As her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark, she assumed she would not have any problems until she  
  
found herself tripping over a tree root. As the ground came up to meet her she managed to crumple her body into a ball  
  
before she hit. After the initial thud she rolled herself away to prevent herself from making anymore noise, straightening  
  
to find Barbossa towering over her with gritted teeth. As he gripped her arm with a bruising tightness, Jack came over  
  
and brushed him away. "Best stick with me luv., if you're gonna be trying to wake the dead." Towing her after him by  
  
the wrist, he tried not to grin too much at the murderous look in Barbossa's eye.   
  
They hadn't travelled much further when the trees started to give way into a clearing. Jack stopped suddenly, in case   
  
there was anyone in the clearing, but before he could fully establish the safety of the situation, Jade had bumped into   
  
him from behind at his sharp stop, sending him flailing forwards.   
  
And straight into a lake.   
  
Coming up spluttering to the loud laughter of the rest of the crew, Jack was about to yell furious orders for silence  
  
when he noted their laughter was not just of derision but of delight. Turning, he saw the clearing was scattered with   
  
boxes and chests from the survivors, who were now reduced to skeletons in finery. Bo had already launched himself   
  
forward and threw open the closest crate. "Got ourselves some RUM boys!" he yelled, much to the increased fervour of the  
  
crew, so that several began flying about the clearing to open up boxes and see what they could find. "We've hit   
  
the jackpot lads!" declared Barbossa to the grinning crew. Jack waved an arm for some rum to be given to him and a bottle  
  
was thrown across which he caught easily. "I'm really terribly sorry Captain sir." said Jade, standing nervously at the  
  
edge of the lake with a hand out to help the dripping Jack out. Barbossa's sly eye was on her, and he tugged her back   
  
"Yes that was a stupid mistake wasn't it lass? What's say you make it up to the Cap'n hmmm?" he said, a nasty smile   
  
tugging at the corner of his mouth. Both Jack and Jade viewed him suspiciously as the crew, though still scattering and  
  
squabbling over rum, pricked up their ears at the prospect of something interesting. Barbossa looked round at the crew,  
  
playing up to the audience. "What's say Jade gives the Cap'n a nice wash?" The crew roared with laughter and agreement,  
  
settling themselves down for what looked like it would be a while. One of the crew had found a violin in one case and  
  
was playing it with all the ability of an armless tone deaf monkey, and the others were laying into the alcohol they had  
  
found.   
  
Whatever Jack had been expecting Barbossa to say, it had not been that. Despite himself, a slow grin crept across his   
  
face. Whether Barbossa was playing with them or not, it gave him a rare opportunity to have Jade near him. "Sounds like  
  
a good idea to me." he said, unable to stop the smugness emitting from his voice as he relaxed against the edge, kicking   
  
his boots off and throwing them onto dry land. He had to clench his teeth against laughter as he saw the utterly furious  
  
look on Jade's face, and felt a sudden ashamed wash of sorrow. This must be utterly humiliating for her. Barbossa could  
  
not more obviously have demonstrated that Jade was his whore to pass on to who he chose if he had said it.  
  
"It's either him y'wash Pet, or the entire crew." said Barbossa gruffly, flashing her a wicked grin as the crew all  
  
yelled their willingness for her to take up that option. Eyes positively glowing with anger that for once she did not  
  
even attempt to hide from Barbossa, she stepped stiffly towards where Jack was. The crew gave a raucous moan of   
  
disapointment before giving another yell accompanied by wolf whistles as she stripped off her dress angrily, leaving her   
  
thin under dress on.   
  
Jack threw off his shirt and then his trousers, getting himself in a bit of a lather when he couldn't pull his  
  
shirt up off his head, his attempt to look casual about this pretty much ruined, before relaxing against the ledge in  
  
the lake in what he hoped was an uncaring pose.   
  
The water made the thin undergarment cling to her body but her eyes flickered around, at the water, at the clearing, at  
  
anything but him as she slowly waded over to him. Jack watched her take a long trembling breath before scooping some  
  
water up in her hands and skimming them over his chest.   
  
And that was where it all started to get... just a little bit... hazy. The heat of her hands felt like they were   
  
everywhere as she gently rubbed water across the dirt and scars on his body, caressing, cleansing, whatever it was he   
  
didn't care because she was touching him and it was making him feel like he was nothing but raw nerves. First his arms,  
  
her fingers slipping along them delicately, linking for the briefest second with his own long fingers before her hands   
  
continued, washing, touching. He had to bite down on a groan as his eyes drifted shut, his breath hitching in his throat  
  
as her hands smoothed over his stomach, around his waist, up in little tickling circles. He snapped his eyes open again,  
  
wanting to look at her even if she wouldn't look at him.   
  
She was so stunning...   
  
It was all he could do not to just drag her to him and plaster her body up against his to feel the heat of her. Either   
  
it had been far too long without a woman or she was just intentionally trying to kill him by being so beautiful. He   
  
knew exactly where he wanted her to touch him, but also knew there was no chance in Hell of her venturing anywhere   
  
untoward with Barbossa on the same planet as them. Well then he'd take whatever he could get of her. Her touch was   
  
provoking a physical ache that he found himself battling to control as it filled him up with a blinding strength. Her   
  
hands trailed up to his neck, inscribing gentle mesmeric circles and he couldn't help the moan that crept out from his   
  
throat, her fingers coiling round the back of his neck. He tilted his head aside to give her access, but leant into the   
  
touch, seeing her eyes nervously coming up and locking them in a heavy-lidded stare. He brought his hand trickling with   
  
water up to her face, skimming his long fingers along her jawline.   
  
"Please don't." her eyes spoke volumes of fear as her whispered voice cracked "He'll kill me.".   
  
Jack's gaze flickered from that gorgeous mouth to those terrified eyes but continued to stroke her face, his thumb   
  
brushing across her lips, followed by his fingers. She didn't try to stop him, her breathing harsh. All he had to do,   
  
was just lean forward...   
  
"Don't you worry about Barbossa," he murmured "I can handle him, with my little finger.". He tickled her cheek gently   
  
with the aforementioned finger to prove his point, and the fear in her eyes was dimmed slightly as she broke into a   
  
reluctant giggle. Dear God if he'd wanted her before this was only going to make his life all the more difficult.   
  
Later, as an extremely drunk crew began gathering things up and Jack and Jade had dressed themselves, Jack looked around  
  
the clearing for anything that they might have missed. Barbossa and a few remaining members of the crew were closing up  
  
some chests with remnants from others crammed into the top. Jade was collecting up weapons from the skeletons at   
  
Barbossa's instruction. Swaying over to the skeletons near Jade, he leant down next to them and began rummaging through   
  
the pockets, flashing Jade a cheeky grin. He was pleased the only look he received was an exasperatedly amused one, and   
  
not one of disgust. Women with weak stomachs were such a bother. Finding a few gold coins on the first few skeletons   
  
and not much else, he rounded a boulder to encounter a skeleton that had clearly been a woman. Tipping his hat   
  
respectfully he knelt down next to her, and spied some earrings that had clearly fallen from her rotting ears, onto her   
  
lap. "Sorry luv., but I don't reckon you'll be needing these anymore." he said quietly, collecting them up.   
  
"Pssst, Jade." he whispered, throwing one of the earrings at her. She caught it nimbly and flicked it through her   
  
fingers. "Far too gaudy a thing for the likes of this lovely woman." he teased sarcastically, receiving an acidic look.  
  
"It's beautiful. What are these stones?" she asked in a low voice, her eyes cautiously trailing to the remaining crew.  
  
"It's Jade luv., like you. So it's yours." he said, stepping close. She opened her mouth to protest but he put a  
  
shushing finger to his own lips. "Yours. I'll give you the other one when old Barbossa's not around 'ey?" he said   
  
quietly, that charmingly wicked grin gracing his lips as he walked off. Jade smiled despite herself, and hid the earring  
  
in her pocket. It was stupid to keep it, she knew that. But it was small rebellions like this that made her life seem  
  
more bearable the way it was now. And coming from Jack, the gift seemed even more special. She clamped her teeth down  
  
and tried to force out thoughts such as this as she headed back over to Barbossa.   
  
"Are we goin' now my love?" she inquired in her sugary tones, handing him the swords she had collected. "Aye girly. Get  
  
yourself movin'."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hmmmmmm yeeeees, I think my chapters are getting worse :S. Tell me if it all seems to OTT, and I'll hit myself over the  
  
head with a ladle :D. XXXX 


	8. Enlisting Help

Milady*Sparrow: Wheee! Soo glad u like it, thankee soo much! And don't worry, I've put the ladle away lol. Thanx re.  
  
the title and my name thing, when I was in a band I was nicknamed Psiren cuz I was the singer, so it kinda stuck, lol.   
  
And the title was just meant to be cuz of Jack's ideas of a ship representing Freedom, and also Jade's desire to feel  
  
free. :)  
  
jackfan2: Oh, I dunno what happened to the formatting :S It looks readable to me, if a little all crammed in.   
  
quiet-one145: Hopefully your qu's about Barbossa will be answered in this Chapter, or at least some of them, lol. And   
  
as for sequels, see below for the idea I had for it. If you don't think it's a gd idea tho let me know.   
  
Erinya: Thankee kindly, hee hee. I just kept getting random images of women throwing stuff at Jack so it seemed to make  
  
sense to me. Oh and I know the 'S joke' at the end of the first Chapter is lame *grins nervously* I was tired and I   
  
think a little more of me than is normal went into Jade's character at the last minute. Hope you continue to enjoy it :)  
  
I had a bit of an idea, tell me if you think it's any gd, that I could do a sequel between Rita (the first mate, she's  
  
doing a little more in this chapter) and Will. Jack and Jade would still be in it, but not as the main characters. Only  
  
prob is I don't know what I'd do with poor old Elizabeth! She could go with Gibbs I suppose... *shudders*. Either way,  
  
tell me if you think this is a gd idea or not, and tell me what u think of the chapter :D.  
  
** = flashback  
  
*8*  
  
The ships travelled together at a moderately speedy pace, looking to all purposes like the most unusual expedition   
  
recently ventured, considering crew members kept swinging from one ship to the other on ropes. As both Jack and Jade   
  
were similarly proud, and sensibly cautious, neither had agreed to remain on the others ship permanently for the duration  
  
of the journey to Tortuga, even if it was agreed that much further talking was necessary. It was therefore simply on  
  
principle that almost every hour, on the hour, they would swing across from one ship to the other. If any of the crew  
  
members had not by now become acclimatised to the strange actions of both of their Captains, then this might have been  
  
a problem. Will and Elizabeth had decided that it would be sensible for them to oversee the actions of what happened,  
  
if just for the safety of both of the Captains considering their last demonstration of how things were going on the   
  
board between the ships.   
  
"If you want to torment Barbossa and that crew for a painful eternity of endless misery, I say they're welcome to it, it's  
  
no skin off my nose what happens to them. But I'd like to see how you're goin' to manage it luv." declared Jack as he  
  
swung across to the Pearl. "Rita you're with me." instructed Jade, nodding to her first mate who promptly followed her  
  
across on a rope. Jade opened her mouth to continue talking to Jack once she had landed only to hear a loud squeal.  
  
Turning, they all encountered Elizabeth swinging from one ship to the other, clearly too petrified to let go. Jack,  
  
Rita and Jade all shared a look of amused disbelief before Jade jumped on to the side of the ship and gripped the rope   
  
as it flew past her, stopping Elizabeth's shriek short. "Jump down yer daft sap Liz we ain't got all day." Jade said,  
  
grinning as a shaken Liz released the rope and fell to the floor. Will flew across after them and gave Jade a look as   
  
he helped Elizabeth up. "She's not used to these kind of conditions." he protested. "Well she should learn mate."   
  
pointed out Jack, before they all retired to the cabin.   
  
"I'm glad you have that viewpoint Jack, and to answer your question, there's Rita." said Jade, flopping down into her  
  
chair in her cabin. Her cabin being considerably smaller than Jacks, Elizabeth found herself perched rather uncertainly  
  
on the edge of her bed next to Jack and Rita who had casually sprawled themselves across it. "Rita is from an African  
  
tribe with rather ummmm.... spiritual persuasions." said Jade, flashing her first mate a lazy grin. "That, is how we're  
  
bringing Barbossa back.". Whilst Will looked entirely incredulous and Elizabeth rather sickened by the prospect of   
  
Barbossa being brought back, Jack looked mildly disbelieving but willing to overlook it. He waved a hand dismissively  
  
"Fair enough. But what d'you think will encourage him to go to the Minotaur tunnels?" Will must have indicated his   
  
confusion in some way because Jade's eyes flickered to him. "It's a series of tunnels in the mountains of an island   
  
North from here. Pirates used to use it as a hiding place when they were being hunted by trading companies and rather  
  
over-zealous commodores like your mate Norrington. They soon stopped when they realised once they got in, they had a   
  
damn hard time finding their way out again. These tunnels, run so far back into those mountains, that its said they're  
  
impossible to map. They're not of course, but that's what's said." Will was quite disapointed at this admission,   
  
considering the rather dramatic hand waving that Jade had preceded it with. "Either way, gettin' him there will be  
  
simple Jack. Bait. And of course, the normal element... Me." continued Jade, flashing a sarcastic smile. Jack narrowed  
  
his eyes and tilted his head suspiciously "You're willing to let that bastard go near you again?"   
  
"If it means destroying him, certainly. I'll give him a little incentive to go to the Minotaur tunnels. So many   
  
pirates hid there, that their hoards of treasure are undoubtedly there too. Big incentive for someone like Barbossa.   
  
Once there, Old Syla can give us a hand. She's an ex pickpocket, one of the best. That reminds me," Jade pulled a   
  
watch on a chain from her pocket and threw it to Will. "Keep an eye on your pockets around her mate." she said, winking  
  
beligerently. Will checked the watch over in horror before cramming it deep back inside him pockets. "She's going to  
  
make sure that every one of the crew has pocketed some of that gold. Then we destroy the case. If there's no case to  
  
return the gold to, the curse can't very well be lifted now can it?" During Jade's tirade Jack had been stroking his   
  
beard thoughtfully and progressively grinning more and more. "You've got some cheek on you darlin' I'll give you that.   
  
But what's to stop you and your lovely ship of ladies gettin' stuck inside those tunnels with Barbossa? An undead and  
  
mighty mad Barbossa and a little mortal you wouldn't get along too well I'm reckonin'." he questioned, standing and   
  
planting himself on her desk atop a pile of maps, one foot propped up on the chair she was on so that he was bent down   
  
to look her in the eye. Will grinned despite himself. She'd sure as Hell got Jack's attention now. Trust him to find   
  
this type of lunacy appealing. Jade grinned up at Jack's focused stare "That's where Rita comes in again. Show 'em   
  
mate."   
  
Jack's expression turned from surprise to confusion to a manic grin as he found that Rita was stripping off her jacket, and  
  
now her shirt. Will hopped from one foot to the other agitatedly, not sure where his eyes should be but damn sure they  
  
shouldn't be on Rita. Elizabeth just blushed furiously as the ebony-skinned pirate flicked her shirt casually on to the  
  
floor, holding one arm across her breasts to protect the modesty Elizabeth assumed she had somewhere beneath that bored  
  
expression. "That's incredible." breathed Jack, to even further Elizabeth's embarassment. "It's a semi-nude woman Jack  
  
I fail to see how that's incredible." she said in flustered tones.  
  
"It'd help if you two looked at her mates." said Jade, her voice rife with amusement. Both Will and Elizabeth dragged   
  
their eyes reluctantly up to encounter Rita's flesh.  
  
An intricate, flawless tattoo covered the whole of Rita's back, up across her arms and shoulder, and creeped across the  
  
top of her chest. Jack had moved forward, eyes narrowed in fascination, and had taken to walking round her, finally   
  
settling his gaze on her back. His face glowed with grim delight "It's a map.". Will inched forward to try and get a  
  
closer look, blushing as he caught Rita's gaze "Sorry, may I?" She shrugged and smirked "You can do whatever you like   
  
mate." she replied, laughing harshly but not unkindly as his blushes increased. "You might have heard of Rita's father  
  
lads and ladies. Gentleman by the name of Captain Rekedain." Elizabeth sat bolt upright, her eyes wide "Rekedain was a  
  
murderous butcher that could control the winds and the tide! He routed entire villages and sent fleets to the bottom of  
  
the ocean!".  
  
"Aye, and a right swell dad 'e was too." said Rita sarcastically with a nasty smile. "You've been doin' your homework  
  
Liz girl. I'm likin' you more every time you open your mouth." said Jade, clapping Elizabeth on the back and almost  
  
sending her hurtling off the bed. "Either way, he got trapped inside the Minotaur tunnels for ne'er on four weeks.   
  
Nearly killed him, he ended up feeding off scrapings from rocks. But when he did get out, he decided that he'd ensure   
  
his daughter never had to suffer the same plight. Hence her rather elaborate decoration." continued Jade, pacing and  
  
waving theatrically. She then span and focused on Jack again, smiling brightly "So y'see Jack, we can't get lost. That  
  
there is the only map that charters the Minotaur tunnels." Jack was grinning back the same delighted grin, the prospect   
  
of this all clearly going to his rum-swollen brain.   
  
"And while you're there..." he said, moving towards Jade and gesticulating "...we can collect up all that lovely   
  
treasure that's been hanging around there for years." completed Jade. "I love it when you get all vengeful if these are   
  
the type of plans you come up with darlin'." declared Jack,grinning charmingly. He then wrapped an arm round her,   
  
leaning close and confidentially "I hope you know you have my total support in this venture. I'd be more than willing to  
  
help." he said in hushed tones, flashing gold teeth. Jade raised her eyebrows "Cute Jack, very cute. YES, if you help   
  
us you'll get thirty five percent of all the plunder. For a start, my crew needs somewhere to hide while all of this is  
  
going on before I call them in to collect up the goods..." Will shoved in between them, looking   
  
righteously indignant   
  
"But what happens if Barbossa and his men escape? Can you imagine what it would be like if they were free to scourge   
  
the ocean for an eternity?" he insisted,feeling even before he said it that such rationalities were falling on deaf ears.  
  
"They won't escape mate. This is the Minotaur tunnels we're takin' them too, and besides, I'm sure I can invent one or   
  
two barricades to keep 'em there." said Jade slyly, a diabolical smirk threatening to take over her face.   
  
Will shook his head and threw his arms up in frustration. There was no use appealing to Jack, he was too far gone,   
  
involved in this plot and certainly involved in Jade. "This is a crazed plan, there are too many risks!" he yelled   
  
before marching out of the cabin. Elizabeth went after him as Rita picked up her shirt. "Leave 'im to it. He'll come   
  
round, he's Bootstrap's boy." said Jack. Jade nodded before slapping an arm on to Jack's shoulder. "But tonight, no   
  
more talk of plans. We're nearly at Tortuga. Now there's a place after my own heart. I'll be reckonin' they'll have  
  
enough rum even for you and me." she said happily before making for the door.   
  
Jack glanced back at Rita who was buttoning up her shirt "Need any help with that at all?" he offered innocently,   
  
running for the door when he caught the look he received.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
**Jack was awoken to the normal state he was in after a night of heavy drinking, which was normally with very little  
  
ability to see and even less ability to think, by the sound of loud yells of encouragement and screams for blood.   
  
Lurching upright and swaying in his bed as he waited for the world to stop spinning, he slumped to the floor and   
  
dragged on some clothes before staggering abovedecks, ramming his hat on his head as an after thought. There had to be  
  
standards after all.   
  
Upon the cool sea air hitting him in the face he found a circle of his crew, seemingly one living breathing cell that  
  
roared violence as they watched it being brought about. Shoving his way through he grabbed Barbossa's sleeve "What's   
  
goin' on?" he slurred, blinking dazedly. "We reckoned the girly could do with some toughenin' up if she's ever goin' to  
  
be any use aboard this ship. Asides from what she's obviously good for." leered Barbossa before turning to the spectacle  
  
in the centre again. A sight that instantly sobered Jack met him.   
  
They had put her in a fight against Bo. The man was huge and built like a tree trunk! Her face was already a mass of   
  
blood as she cautiously moved in circles, limping, staggering, trying to keep away from him. When he closed in on her   
  
again she threw some punches that didn't do much use, feeble and weak, before he brought his knee up into her stomach,  
  
buckling her into winded silence. As she lay gagging and wheezing on the floor he gripped a handful of her hair and   
  
dragged her across the deck before throwing her against the side. Feeling physically ill as he watched this, Jack caught  
  
the examining look Barbossa was giving him and felt a hot rush of fury as he realised; this was about him. Barbossa was  
  
testing his reactions to this, trying to make him give up a display of protectiveness in front of the crew. A sign of  
  
weakness. Jack had to bite down on the urge to walk over to Barbossa and slit his throat right now, but instead he kept  
  
his face studiously blank. But his eyes never left Jade, and with each punch she took the anger was clawing up higher   
  
and higher inside his throat.  
  
Jade coughed a splat of blood up onto the deck, trying to stop the flow of blood coming from her nose as she dragged   
  
herself upright. This couldn't be happening. Not now not to her. But she couldn't feel her arm and she couldn't   
  
breathe and there was blood everywhere so it was happening. It was real. The world wouldn't keep still. "You're makin'  
  
a mess of the deck. You're going to have to clean that up Bitch." snarled Bo as he got a grip of her hair again.   
  
Always the whore. Always damaged always taking it enduring it allowing it. No. No no no no no. Humiliating me beating  
  
me it's MY blood you can't shed it you can't decide it's not yours to shed. NO.   
  
Rearing up, Jade spat a mouthful of her blood in to Bo's face, sending him reeling backwards cursing, trying to rub his   
  
eyes clear. Going straight after him, Jade swung punch after vicious punch at his head, teeth gritted in fury as a   
  
ragged snarl crept out from between them. Dazed by the unrepentant, unstopping assault, Bo finally managed to get a punch  
  
in but Jade only staggered back a few inches. "COME ON! YOU THINK I'M AFRAID OF YOU??" she screamed at him, face   
  
contorted with anger. Ramming her knee into his stomach, she gripped his hair as he buckled in half and smashed his nose  
  
against her knee as well. Throwing him to the floor, she kicked him in the stomach and chest, breath tearing out of her  
  
in a high pitched pant. Surprised but nevertheless entertained by this change of events, the crew continued to cheer   
  
loudly, laughing at how much they thought Jade would pay when Bo finally got up, and how much they were going to laugh   
  
at Bo for taking a beating from a woman. Jack clenched his teeth against the grin that threatened to break out.   
  
Turning, Jade picked up an oar for the row boat and snapped it in half against her leg, holding one broken end in both   
  
hands. Barbossa looked about to object before Jack raised a languid hand "Any weapon they can get a hold of is theres."   
  
he stated, giving Barbossa a warning look. Bo was slowly bringing himself upright, only to encounter the handle of the   
  
oar, used like a club, lodging into his stomach. He went down again, choking. Kicking him the other end of the oar,   
  
Jade sneered "I don't think you can beat me even if I give you a chance." Grabbing the other half of the oar, he flew at   
  
her, only for her to spin out of his reach and club him across the back of the neck with it. He went down again,   
  
pulling himself up faster this time, incensed by the shame of a woman making him bleed as he now was, in plentiful   
  
amounts. They then both took to using the pieces of wood like swords, blocking and thrusting at each other with the   
  
splintered ends. Hitting her hand with the end of his stick so that she released her hold, Bo then whipped his club out  
  
and slammed it across the side of Jade's head, taking her down. Jack's heart jolted painfully at the noise Jade made as  
  
she fell.   
  
Bo laughed nastily as he stepped over her. "Ready to give up yet Jade?" he asked, every utterance speaking volumes of  
  
disgust and superiority. Rolling onto her back, heaving for breath, Jade glowered up at him, eyes almost black with   
  
fury. "Who said you could talk to me scum?" she hissed before giving a flailing kick upwards that impacted just where   
  
she wanted it to: his crotch. Letting out a feeble groan he crumpled. Pulling herself up Jade span and turned on the   
  
nearest crew member, whipping their sword from their belt before they had a chance to stop her. Spinning and letting   
  
out a scream of anger, Jade brought the sword up over her head, to bring it down upon Bo's...  
  
Barbossa gripped hold of her arm tightly, halting her downward cut. "That's enough now Jade. I think yeh've made yer  
  
point." he said grimly, a slight smile on his face despite this. Shaking with rage, Jade slowly dropped the sword. The  
  
crew remained utterly silent as they watched this all, unsure of how they were meant to react. Barbossa grinned finally,  
  
raising Jade's arm "It looks like we've got a tough little cookin' woman lads!" he laughed, bringing the crew to life   
  
once more as they were told how to react by this. They all laughed and went about their business, leaving Bo to crawl   
  
down to the sleeping quarters and lick his wounds. Jack in turn went to the wheel and carried on with the work of the  
  
ship. But for the rest of the day he had a vague smile on his face that never quite left.   
  
That night, as Jade crept abovedecks, she heard low clapping. Peering into the darkness, she saw Jack seated on the edge  
  
of the ship with a wide grin on his face. "Bo's face is so mashed up I don't reckon he'll be able to see out of the  
  
swellings for a month." Jack declared as she reached him, stopping himself from slapping her on the back when he realised  
  
how sore she must be. "Good, perhaps I can get him to walk off the plank in that month then. It's the only way I'm   
  
going to be safe considering he got beaten by a woman." Jade murmured regretfully, stepping further to the front of the  
  
ship. Jack leapt down off the edge and followed her "I don't think he'll try anything if Barbossa doesn't allow it, and  
  
he doesn't want you too damaged." Jade snorted at this "Yes, I have to live up to my uses." she replied, trying   
  
desperately to ensure Jack didn't notice she was limping. Jack shook his head and continued to grin madly, taking her  
  
by the shoulders and turning her to face him "You don't get it luv. You showed them your metal today. Those flea-ridden  
  
dogs reckoned you as an easy touch, a little girl. I guarantee you, they won't anymore." Jade managed a slight smile  
  
through her swollen lip "What are you saying?" "I'm saying that you've done me proud. You're a pirate my girl! You   
  
fight dirty! Though I've gotta say, hitting him in the nethers, that was a little too out of order." Jack added, wincing  
  
to express the agony of it as though it had happened to him.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hmmmm, hmmmmm and more hmmmmm. Definitely not sure about how well I'm doing Jack's character in this one. Ah well, I'm  
  
trying! Lemme know what u think :). 


	9. I LOVE TORTUGA'

quiet-one145: Things are going kinda slowly but I hope when I do actually get round to the action it won't disapoint :)  
  
Thankee v. muchly for the lovely review.  
  
Flashback = **  
  
*9*  
  
**Things changed aboard the Black Pearl after Jade's fight with Bo. She was still Barbossa's, she still cooked and   
  
cleaned, but she was now acknowledged as a member of the crew, not just 'the flesh'. A lesser member of the crew, but  
  
certainly she was one now. When she helped abovedecks she was not considered a nuisance, she could go about business  
  
aboard with at least less lecherous remarks. Now, it seemed there was a begrudging undertone of respect from them. She  
  
aided them when they attacked and plundered ships and ports, she tended to the wounded, she fought just as viciously as  
  
they did.  
  
Still at night Jack met her, the light turning her into porcelein and he couldn't touch her. He wondered when she had  
  
become the only person on this ship that he trusted. She didn't know the code, despite her inner strength and survival  
  
instincts the treacherous aspect of piracy was still far from her reach, and she saw him as a confidante. Her friend.   
  
He greedily soaked up the fact that he never saw her laugh when she was with anyone but him. He entertained her with  
  
endless stories about what he had done over the years of his piracy, the ships he had destroyed, the gold he had hoarded.  
  
All ridiculously elaborated, and they both knew it, but that didn't seem to stop Jade enjoying the stories, it only   
  
seemed to amuse her further as he leapt around the ship, waving his hands dramatically and miming what had occured.   
  
As he enjoyed her company so much she wondrously absorbed everything that he told her of all the things he had seen,  
  
fascinated even by the gore and blood. "I've not seen much in my life. So you must tell me everything that you have  
  
seen." It was getting progressively harder to hold himself in check when she was near him. He had her as a friend, she  
  
had no other, she trusted no one else. But the presence of Barbossa was always hanging over her head, making her   
  
fearful, drawing her away. She would never be as close as he wanted her.  
  
Now his nights when he did in fact sleep were worse because he dreamt of her. Her hands. Her mouth. Every inch of   
  
skin. She wanted him and there was no cause to stop. But the dreams never lasted  
  
"Who's Jade?"  
  
Jack blinked and sat up a little from where he had been reclining in the bed, staring up at the ceiling with sated  
  
satisfaction. The girl - he couldn't quite remember her name - was already dressing again, forcing her abundant cleavage  
  
up before tightening the ribbons of her bodice. "What?" he replied, the name sending a shockwave through the pleasant,   
  
lazy haze he was experiencing. "You said her name. Twice." said the girl, the racket she was making of moving things  
  
around on the table suggesting she wasn't happy about this. Jack groaned and allowed his head to smack back down against  
  
the pillows. Damn his irresistable nature that even the whores got uppity with him! This thing with Jade was getting  
  
well and truly out of hand. "She another one of your litte bits on another island?" demanded.... Sarah, that was her   
  
name! - as she turned, her face garishly re-made-up. Jack gave a brief grunt of laughter before collecting up his   
  
clothes and getting dressed himself. "No luv. She isn't anybody you know."   
  
Back downstairs, the bar they had decided to plant themselves in was overflowing with violent drunk pirates and the   
  
whores that trailed after them. Jack weaved his way around a fight, peering into the scrum of men to see if any of them  
  
were his boys. "'Scuse me..." he said cheerfully as he danced round them, tipping his hat at some of the whores that   
  
giggled in response. Kicking a paralytic man out of his chair and taking his half empty bottle of rum, he swaggered   
  
over to the table where a load of his boys and Jade were playing cards and drinking. "I LOVE TORTUGA!" screamed Twig   
  
as Jack came over, knocking back a load of rum before sprawling out of his chair and heading back up to the bar,   
  
tripping over a fight and swiftly getting involved himself. The sound of splintering glass and fists impacting with   
  
flesh was almost deafening. Jack took up the chair Twig had left and nodded to be brought into the card game. "What are  
  
we playing for lads?" he asked as Jade seated herself on Barbossa's lap to make room for another pirate who wished to  
  
join them.   
  
"Whatever we've got." said Bo, fixing a broad grin on the Captain. Jack gave him a sarcastic, narrow smile  
  
in return before flicking a ruby out from beneath his hand, seemingly from nowhere, and dumping it on the table. "Good  
  
way to start the game 'eh boys?" he smirked, seeing the look of surprise on all of their faces. "You playin' Jade luv.?"  
  
he enquired, throwing the cards to Barbossa to be shuffled. "I ain't got anything to play with Captain sir." she replied,  
  
taking the cards up and shuffling them with agile long fingers. "Nought but yeh virtue 'eh Lass?" said Barbossa,   
  
squeezing her waist as they all laughed. She smiled in a tolerating way and replied dryly "And I haven't even got much  
  
of that.", causing them all to laugh further. "Play anyway. And drink up." said Barbossa, shoving a bottle of rum into  
  
Jade's hands. She shrugged and grinned "I'll see you all when I have to carry you back to the Pearl." she said glibly,  
  
before tipping her head back and gulping down the rum, causing the table to erupt with cheers.   
  
As the card game progressed well into the night, the goods going from pirate to pirate as they gained and then lost their  
  
edges, they were joined by two whores who seated themselves on Jack's lap and next to him. Jade, drinking just as   
  
heavily as the men much to Jack's surprise and enjoyment, was losing after a long winning streak and was finding it   
  
increasingly frustrating. "DAMNIT!" she snarled, smashing her cards down on the table as she lost again, growling at   
  
the laughter as the watches and gold coins were dragged away from her pile. She glowered through her eyelashes at the  
  
two whores that were pawing over Jack, giggling at her theatrics and giving her snide looks. Jack seemed totally   
  
oblivious to everything, simply swigging back on the rum and maintaining at least a respectable standing in the game even  
  
though she doubted he could see straight.   
  
"Don't worry luv., sweetcakes, you'll win the next one. I have a hunch." he slurred, attempting to tap the side of his   
  
nose confidentially and missing. Feeling quietly liberated by the warm drunken haze the rum had given her, Jade   
  
shrugged "I'd be doin' better if I could concentrate." she replied, fixing the two whores with a menacing glare. "You   
  
gotta problem with us bein' here ducky?" said one of them with a nasty smile on that bright red painted mouth of hers.   
  
"The stench of whatever you think is perfume that you've dunked yourself in is making me feel rather ill." Jade shot   
  
back, Barbossa laughing loudly and giving her a squeeze at this, the crew at the table joining in. Jack chose this   
  
moment to smack his head against the table to try and wake himself up. Despite hating this damned crew, Jade felt   
  
mildly supported by their laughter as the whores looked ready to get their claws out. "Awwww what's wrong darlin',   
  
don't like the competition on your men? You're a whore just the same as us, so don't be thinkin' you're any better."   
  
hissed the other, making the first erupt with cruel laughter.   
  
Leaping from Barbossa's lap, Jade stalked round the table and grabbed the second whore, the one on Jack's lap, by the  
  
hair. Physically dragging her across the floor by it, ignoring the howling shrieks, she threw her up against the bar and  
  
punched her in the face. As the blood streamed down her face and she let out snivvelling little sobs, Jade span her  
  
round and slammed her bodily against the counter, holding her there, her face against it. When the barkeep looked about  
  
to step round and object she fixed him with her hot glare "You stay out of this!" she snarled. She noticed the silence  
  
around her that was swiftly spreading and ignored it. Whilst violence was normal, almost expected in a bar in Tortuga,  
  
anything except cat fights between women were very rare. Gripping the whore's hair and forcing her head up so that she  
  
had to look at herself in the mirror, Jade spat in her ear "Look! You say I'm the same as you!" Pulling her dress up  
  
around her shoulder, she showed a livid angry bruise. Jack, who through his blurred drunkeness was watching this with  
  
astonished curiosity, threw a glare Barbossa's way. "D'you think I got this from spreading my legs like you? I'm not a  
  
soft delicate kitten like you sweetheart. I'm nothing like you." she hissed, before letting the girl go abruptly, letting  
  
her sink to the floor. Noise abruptly continued in the bar, and Barbossa laughed heartily, no doubt revelling in the  
  
aggression Jade was displaying.**   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"... And then I turned to Jade and said 'Cap'n the ships alight we're going to sink!' and she tells me 'Rita you  
  
goddamn idiot we're in the sea, use the water to put out the fire!' and so I'm tying a rope to her ankles and she's got  
  
two buckets in her hand, and there are cannonballs flying all over the place, and the crew all think I'm trying to drown  
  
her when she leaps over the side with these buckets in her hand, and I'm stuck holding this rope with the Cap'n on the  
  
end trying to pull her back in with the water..."   
  
Will cautiously edged himself into a seat with the others to the sound of hysterical laughter as Rita tried desperately  
  
to grab breath to continue her story, the others all falling off their seats in a mixture of drunken floppiness and   
  
amusement. Tortuga still made him feel uncomfortable, never sure whether he was about to be attacked for no better   
  
reason than because he looked like he'd had a bath recently. Nevertheless, now that he was here with two fiercesome  
  
pirate crews he felt more secure. They all greeted him cheerfully over the general noise of the bar, Jack slapping him  
  
on the arm and Elizabeth leaping onto his lap for a hug, Jack's hat placed lopsided on her head. Will eyed Elizabeth   
  
suspiciously as he hugged her "Elizabeth, how much have you had to drink?" he inquired as she turned sloppily and   
  
grinned happily. "Only a little darling, just a tiny bit..." she said, giggling naughtily as she attempted to measure   
  
the amount between her finger and thumb to the rest of their amusement.   
  
"You really oughta join us mate, there's enough rum for everyone!" declared Jack, causing the others to cheer delightedly.  
  
"No I'm really not much of a drinker Jack." confessed Will, trying to control his laughter at the utterly horrified look   
  
that fell across Jack's face. "But WHY wouldn't you want to drink rum?? Are you mad?!?" he exclaimed, looking to the others for help   
  
here. "Yeah c'mon Will, keep us company! I mean Elizabeth didn't drink... until about five minutes ago." said Jade,   
  
sprawling across the tabletop to fix him with a beatific grin and to snatch a bottle from under Jack's nose. Will had   
  
to admit that he felt a little left out from all of this heady blissful friendship they seemed to be swept up in. Jack   
  
handed him a bottle and flashed that infamous grin, leaning heavily on his shoulder "Remember what I told you about what   
  
a man can do and what he can't? Either you can allow yourself to be out-drunk by three women, one of which whom I might   
  
add is your bonny lass, OR you can't. Plus the fact that I'll tell everyone in this bar that you're a eunuch if that   
  
happens." added Jack, once again peering suspiciously at Will's nether regions. "Shut up Jack." he replied sullenly   
  
before necking the bottle, making them all cheer. "Just be glad I haven't let the girls check for me yet mate." added  
  
Jack.   
  
As the night wore on, only the girls remained, Jack having wandered, staggered and tripped his way back to the Pearl, and  
  
Will having passed out on the floor. The rest of the two crews were spread out through Tortuga, collapsing, drinking,  
  
throwing up and then drinking some more. "I told him he shouldn't have challenged Jack to a drinking game." said Elizabeth  
  
woefully, giving Will an affectionate prod with her foot. Will had understandably, not even stood a chance as the   
  
rum-soaked pirate consumed bottle after bottle before there seemed to be even any side effects at all. "Don't worry   
  
mate, think of it as a learning experience." Jack had commented as Will knocked over the entire table in a bid to stand   
  
up. I have to say I like Will a far lot more when he's drunk Liz luv." commented Jade, swaying precariously in her seat   
  
as she shot back the remains of some rum. Elizabeth smiled slightly "Yes, he did seem a lot more free didn't he? Not   
  
so uptight..." she said "He'll be uptight again sure enough when he remembers half of the things he was saying tommorow   
  
mornin'." laughed Rita loudly, slapping the table. "'Who's hand is that? Oh it's mine.' 'Why does Jack smell of fish   
  
and rum?' 'I love you all!'" she mimicked in a butch man's voice. They all joined in the laughter before Rita fixed her   
  
obsidian eyes on Jade and became serious. "Now Jade, when are you going to stop playing the fool, and go after Jack?"   
  
Jade frowned as if trying to work out a very hard problem inside her head and then stared at Rita incredulously   
  
"What?"   
  
"You come from nowhere, you tell me nothing of why you bleed and why you are bitter and seek revenge, and I accept that.   
  
I have you as my Captain because I know it is right, I know you were meant to lead me in my life. I have you as my   
  
friend because I could never be your enemy. But Jack is from a past that only you know about and your eyes do not speak  
  
of him as enemy or friend. He is something different to you." said Rita, Elizabeth fascinated by the power and knowledge   
  
in her voice. Jade had taken to frowning at the ground, not looking at either of them, her face obscured by her hair.   
  
Rita leaned forward, her voice more gentle "Jade? Right at this instant, what is it you want?" Jade looked up lazily,   
  
her thoughts carefully guarded by a bored expression "I think I want some more rum." she said, putting a hand out to take   
  
up a bottle only for it to be moved away from her by Rita. Rita fixed her with a knowing grin, eyebrows raised   
  
expectantly. Jade sighed and shook her head swiftly as if to shake away cobwebs in her brain. Finally she looked up and  
  
met Rita's gaze "I want Jack." she replied simply. "Then why are you still talking to us... Captain Quinn?" said Rita,   
  
leaning back and smiling at her. Jade gave her an annoyed smile before standing, taking Jack's hat off Elizabeth's head,   
  
and running out into the dark.   
  
Jack sat at the end of the port absentmindedly staring at the stars, alternating between grinning and frowning as his  
  
brain picked through memories he associated with this place. He turned when he heard the creaking of boards behind him   
  
and took in Jade, wearing his hat on top of her own, grinning cheekily. "Thought you might want this back." she said,  
  
taking it off and throwing it at him. He caught it and suspiciously tapped his own head "Hmmm, wondered where Elizabeth  
  
had got that lovely hat she was wearing from." he replied before settling it on his head. "Need some more company? You  
  
left rather quickly." she said, stepping up to him and tilting her head curiously. He shrugged and laughed a little  
  
"We're in Tortuga aren't we luv.? Just a lot of memories, and I'm tryin' to remember if the good outweighs the bad."   
  
She nodded understandingly before leaning in for a confidential whisper "Well, how about, we get so damn blind drunk, we  
  
don't even remember we're in Tortuga. Sound good to you?" His grin increased and he nodded. It had been too long. "I   
  
always liked you luv. Distinct lack of rum left on the ship though, I was goin' to wait until the morning to get   
  
supplies." Jade shrugged and rummaged through the ridiculous amount of pockets on her immense coat, before pulling out   
  
three bottles of rum. "Sure I've got some more in here somewhere." she said, flashing a manic grin. "That things a   
  
damn smuggler's coat, I need to get myself one!" Jack declared, slinging an arm round her shoulder and drawing her up   
  
to where the Pearl was anchored.  
  
"... AND REALLY BAD EGGS!"   
  
Both Jack and Jade had disintegrated into drunken warblings of the song that Elizabeth had taught them both, never  
  
maintaining the song for long before they collapsed with laughter. Jade crumpled to the floor in a heap of giggles,  
  
pulling her jacket off and peering into each of the pockets. "Nope, I think that's all of our rum gone!" she slurred  
  
sadly, pretending to cry. "Weeeee don't need rum! We can.... Ok, perhaps we do, but we've got two ships, we've got the  
  
ocean, we've got agreeable company and a fanTAStic song to sing!" yelled Jack, throwing himself into his chair only for  
  
it to collapse backwards. "Jack where did your head go? Why are your boots up there?" asked Jade, crawling over to  
  
where he was and dragging him upright before crumpling into hysterics again. "We are so damn tough! I can' think of   
  
any other pirates as scary and downright nasty as us! Commodores... all over the place, they're lining up to hang us,   
  
I LOVE it!" declared Jack, attempting to stand up and flopping right over again. "You an' me luv., we OWN this place!"  
  
he slurred, tussling her hair vigorously "We own EVERY place! she chimed in, thwacking him enthusiastically on the   
  
shoulder.   
  
"D'you have any new tattoos?" she inquired randomly, peering at him with one eye over the top of his leg, giggling   
  
quietly. "Only one luv." he replied, showing her the 'P'brand on his wrist. "Ooooh you got caught too!" she exclaimed   
  
happily as though it were a club, rolling up her sleeve and flashing her own. They bumped the two brands together and   
  
yelled victoriously before Jack slowly grew more serious, or as serious as a man wavering dangerously could look. "What   
  
about where you were shot?" he asked, resting a hand on her shoulder to steady himself. Jade closed her eyes,took a deep  
  
breath, shifting round onto her knees in front of Jack before pulling her shirt to one side. Just beneath her shoulder   
  
was the savage remains of a scar, across the otherwise golden, perfect skin. Jack's fingers gently trailed across it, his  
  
gaze fixed upon it as his eyes narrowed with anger. Jade swallowed as his fingers skimmed across her skin, sliding lower  
  
across the top of her breasts. "Jack?" she said quietly, hardly daring to breathe. "Mmmmm?" he said absentmindedly,   
  
his gaze still fixed on where his hand was before he looked up at her. Acknowledging how close they had become, his   
  
eyes darkened.  
  
Leaning in, forehead pressed against his, Jade flicked her tongue across his bottom lip, hazarding a playful, nipping   
  
kiss as her brain slowly realised that the warmth of his chest was pressed against her own, his hard breathing beneath  
  
her. It was enough to set her own heart pounding as fast as a dream. He didn't lean into the kiss, seemingly frozen as  
  
she stroked a hand across his cheek, nibbling his lip in the hope of getting a reaction. Pleased by his sharp intake of  
  
breath, she felt his breathing increase as he began to return the kiss, his hands coming up to clasp her face, the kiss   
  
becoming hotter, more demanding. Breaking away for an instant to gather a shuddering breath, Jade did not get much of a   
  
chance before his mouth was on hers again, tugging, wanting more.   
  
Falling into it, she slid a hand down his chest to his leg, smiling at the slight jump he gave in response. Her hand  
  
trailed in lazy circles across his thigh and he moaned softly into her mouth. And then suddenly even these touches were   
  
not enough and he pulled her easily up onto his lap, dragging her shirt out from her trousers, sliding his hands over   
  
the silky skin beneath. The kiss was becoming more intense, more hot and hazed, his hands gliding over her heated flesh   
  
as her mouth trailed down his neck and over his throat. He pulled her forward to feel every inch of her flesh pressed   
  
against his, almost desperate, both of their hands pulling at buttons, seeking more delicious skin. He let out a groan as she  
  
left wet biting kisses in her wake, across his shoulder and up his neck to just beneath his ear... A single whisper that  
  
sent his brain into tailspin...   
  
"I'm yours."  
  
The sound of the handle on the door turning seemed louder than anything ever had before and Jade launched herself off   
  
Jack's lap, landing with a loud thump on the floor. A skinny freckled blond woman from Jade's crew opened the door and  
  
took in the situation briefly before attending to what was at hand "Cap'n, Gibbs called Margot 'Ye of the magnificent  
  
chest' and she's chasing him round the ship with a spade. Thought we could do with some help." Jade cleared her throat   
  
and stood up, trying to organise her dishevelled clothes and pulling on her jacket. "Right I'll be there right away  
  
Betty." she said with the vestiges of her dignity trying feebly to assert themselves. "Yeah I'll come too, sort out   
  
Gibbs for you. Yes, that's what I'll do." said Jack, standing swiftly. Jade shot a glance at him that she did not   
  
intend to maintain but her heart jolted at how his eyes had darkened to black, his lips swollen from their kisses.   
  
Straightening his own clothes, he retained his composure far better than Jade felt she was before exiting after the   
  
girl.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Probably needs some work, you tell me :). XXX 


	10. Too pretty for fish food

Jackfan2: Ooooh great thankee! hee hee I'm glad you liked it, I've never been that confident with intimacy scenes, more   
  
in this one ;D  
  
quiet-one145: *Cackles as images of quiet-one running into the distance screaming 'TMI! TMI!' go through her head* lol  
  
okies soz, I'll try and be moderate :)  
  
A/N: Okies cuz of the two reviews I got they were entirely different with regard to how my content is doing I'm gonna try  
  
and get a balance between smut and uhhh... non-smut :S. Soz this has taken so long but I was kinda lost for a while as   
  
to how to continue, plus I got paranoid that it sucked (as is my wont, hee hee).   
  
COMPULSORY SONG TO DOWNLOAD! Weird Beard by Mad Caddies! It's Pirate ska and utterly hilarious! I can't stop  
  
listening to it! LOOK AT ALL THE EXCLAMATION POINTS! Regrettably though I now can't think of anything even remotely   
  
pirate-y without that song coming into my head :S. So my brain has made this song the soundtrack to this fic., sorry if  
  
you hate the song and like the fic or vice versa, hee hee. Hope you enjoy...  
  
** = flashbacks  
  
*10*  
  
**A million stories it felt like he had told her, painting a thousand vivid pictures with words that she laughed and  
  
partook in. Her quick wit caught him out whenever he teased her, they squabbled they mocked each other, they laughed at  
  
a life that wanted them to be respectable. Why should they be respectable? Take what you can, give nothing back. They  
  
never needed to give it words, but everything was theirs, if they decided they wanted it. He tried to pretend that it  
  
didn't matter that Barbossa took over everything she was. There was never an instant of uncomfortable silence, they   
  
were free to talk, she was his in every way but the last way.   
  
"... He was hanging upside down, tied there, spinnin' over the water. And then they gutted him, like a fish, Schhiiing!  
  
Right across! He sounded like a fish too, gaspin' and glugging as his blood streamed down over his face, dripping into  
  
the water. And all these fish started coming up beneath him and drinking up the droplets of blood."   
  
Jade sat with her mouth slightly open, eyes glowing with astonishment and delight. "Did every drop drain out of him   
  
before they cut him down?" she asked, something almost resembling awe in her voice. Jack laughed quietly, crouching   
  
down to where Jade was sitting on the deck "Poppet, there was enough blood in the water to turn it crimson. He was long  
  
dead before all of the blood came out of him." he said low and dramatically, hoping to intimidate her. As always, she  
  
simply breathed out in amazement, face swimming with the visual images. "That's disgusting!" she declared happily, not  
  
seeming to care how revolting it was even though she declared it. Jack waved a hand languidly, grinning "Of course luv.,  
  
wouldn't be interesting if it weren't disgusting in some way." he settled himself down on the deck next to her, looking  
  
up at the moon as it sifted out from beneath a set of heavy clouds. "You always tell me of ugly things, and yet you've  
  
seen everything it seems like. Tell me about something beautiful you've seen Jack." she asked, eyelashes brushing her  
  
cheeks as she looked down, seemingly absorbed in the shirt she was sewing up. Jack had never understood how she could  
  
see to sew in the night. He choked the single 'You' that was trying to force it way up from his chest and be said, and  
  
smiled "I presume you're not referring to anything like the ever obliging ladies of Tortuga?" She fixed him with a   
  
mildly annoyed frown before looking back to her sewing, not really displeased.   
  
"Right.... something beautiful..."   
  
A few days later they had docked for supplies, the crew having thrown an idiotic amount of produce away during a storm  
  
in the hope of lightening the load of the ship. Having banned nearly all the crew from taking shore leave until the  
  
morning because of this, Jack had reconsidered for Barbossa, allowing him to go. This was partially to appease a first  
  
mate he knew would be more than willing to cause problems if given the chance and also to give Jade a break from his  
  
demands and attentions. He had become swiftly aware though that leaving Jade aboard with dozens of angry crew members  
  
looking to relieve some tension and aggression was probably not a good idea, and so had stayed in his cabin with Jade to  
  
keep her company. With of course, lots of rum.  
  
"I'm SURE the crew are going to say something to Barbossa! 'N' he'll come flailin' at me with him fists all over the  
  
place.... Wheeeeeeee!" declared Jade, spinning in circles before tripping over and landing on the floor. Jack sat  
  
sprawled in his seat trying valiantly to stop laughing at the drunken antics of the woman. Not that he was in any   
  
better a state, but she was providing more than enough entertainment. "The crew won't say anythin' luv., they're too   
  
busy broodin' about all the fun they're missing out on on shore." Jade pulled herself upright again, giggling, before   
  
staggering forwards and then stopping suddenly. Plucking his hat from his head, she started swaying round the cabin,   
  
gesticulating wildly with a slightly swaggering gait. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow! I can't walk in straight lines!" she   
  
yelled. Jack was sure that if he wasn't drunk he might be offended by the utter nerve of the girl taking his hat, but  
  
right now all it seemed to be was appallingly funny. "I CAN walk in straight lines! It's just I've never tried it. But   
  
I say that really IS a good impression! Maybe you are me!" he said with shock in his voice, slapping his chest as if to   
  
check he was still himself.   
  
"Why did you let Barbossa go in the first place?" she said, slinking down onto the floor again and spinning the hat in   
  
her hands, dropping it more often than she caught it. "The man's not one to put up with things he doesn't like. Tends   
  
to cause disruption as I'm sure you've noticed." Jack replied, frowning at the thought. Barbossa was getting   
  
increasingly more unpredictable. "Awwwww poor poor Captain, are you scared?" teased Jade in a baby voice, wramming the   
  
hat back down on her head and crawling over to where he sat. Jack sneered jokingly "Of course darlin'. Terrified.".   
  
He started as she slumped her top half across his torso, balancing her chin on his chest. He was unsurprised to feel  
  
the knifepoint of desire arching through his body towards his groin. "Surely nothing can frighten   
  
the GREAT Jack Sparrow?" she exclaimed though, still teasing him,before thunking her forehead into his chest, giggling   
  
drunkenly.   
  
Jack swallowed and stiffened against his own reaction to her touching him, the reverbrations of her laughter against his   
  
skin sending a tremor through him. When one of her hands crept up his stomach as she tried to gain leverage to pull   
  
herself upright, he nearly jumped out of his skin. She pulled herself up and smiled lazily at him, tendrils of hair   
  
coiling out all over the place haphazardly, his hat having fallen off onto the floor. Jack slid out of his seat so that   
  
he was on his knees next to her, grinning. "Look at you, all your hair done up like some kinda prissy lass." he mocked,   
  
tugging out the pins that held her thick red hair,tossing them onto the floor. She laughed slightly, not minding the   
  
insult as he fanned her hair out, sifting his fingers through it, stroking it. His hands stilled, resting on her face   
  
as his long fingers traced across her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her delicious mouth. She wasn't stopping him, she   
  
wasn't frozen in fear, his fingers inched across her bottom lip and she wasn't stopping him. "Look at you..." he   
  
murmured, almost to himself. He had definitely drunk too much to be anywhere near her, and he was near her. Very near   
  
her.  
  
THIS was the way he wanted her, relaxed, careless, cheeky. Happy. Free.   
  
She giggled quietly, gently smacking her forehead against his, nuzzling her nose against his. Jack's breath quickened.  
  
Did she even have a clue what she was doing? His mouth ached with the need to kiss her as his hands entwined into her  
  
hair, pulling her forwards...  
  
And she was pulling away, standing up, staggering away, putting distance between them. "I can't." she kept saying over  
  
and over, dully, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Jack felt like the bottom of his stomach had dropped out but  
  
he tried to shrug it off, tried to ignore it, standing, throwing himself down onto the bed. He kicked his boots off and  
  
closed his eyes, trying to relax. "Fair enough. If you say you can't you can't." One of his eyes lazily flickered open  
  
and he viewed her, the fear back in her eyes, shrunken in the corner. "But I reckon you can." She simply turned and left  
  
without a single word. Jack cursed quietly to himself, and after a while, fell into a discontented sleep with twisted  
  
drunken dreams.  
  
Jack was awoken with a start as he felt the bed around him shift, accomodating another frame. He felt warmth brush   
  
against him before it moved away. Turning sharply beneath the sheets, he blinked as he took in the curve of Jade's neck  
  
and her red hair gleaming on his pillow.   
  
"Uhhhh Jade luv. what are you doing?" he enquired as she huddled down beneath the sheets.   
  
"I'm scared to stay in Barbossa's cabin on my own. The others are all prowling outside breaking things." she whispered,  
  
her voice tight with nerves.   
  
"You could have warned me, a pirate ain't used to getting companions in the middle of the night aboard his ship." he   
  
said, rolling away from her, distinctly sensing that he would be in for a Hell of a restless night if he acknowledged   
  
that she was beside him.**  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jade exited her cabin, taking a deep breath of the salty morning air, and grinned as she found Will wandering gingerly  
  
around deck rubbing his head tenderly. "Boy! How are you?" she asked loudly when she reached him, laughing quietly as   
  
he winced at the sudden noise reverbrating through his hungover head. "I'm fine Jade. Trying to walk off a little   
  
nausea..." he said, his face suggesting it was far more than just a little nausea. Jade nodded with exaggerated   
  
sympathy, quite sure that he had already been taunted mercilessly for yesterdays actions and not needing to join in.   
  
"When I woke we'd already set to seas. I didn't even get a chance to help with the supplies." Will commented as they  
  
both stepped out of the way of Anamaria who had swung on to the Sea Demon from the Pearl. She gave Jade a broad grin as  
  
she headed past her. Anamaria had been overwhelmed with the discovery that there were other female pirates out there,   
  
and was enjoying herself no end.   
  
"Yes I gave the order to start early, and I was reckonin' you'd need your rest after last night anyway." Jade replied,   
  
smirking at Will's embarassed grimace. "Did I really challenge you to an arm wrestling competition?"   
  
"Yep."  
  
"And lose?"   
  
"Yep."   
  
Will pulled a face as he and Jade walked up to the wheel. "Dear God, I lost to a woman!" Jade laughed, not taking offence  
  
as she took over the wheel. "Well ye were a little worse for wear by then. And you've got that whole honour of not   
  
hurting women thing." said Jade, shrugging, the idea of not hurting women ridiculous to her. Will brightened as if this   
  
let him off the hook "Yes! And I have been feeling a little poorly lately..." he added swiftly, the lie so obvious that   
  
neither of them bothered to comment on it.   
  
"Listen Will, I know we didn't start off on the best of terms..." Jade began only for Will to put up a hand to stop her  
  
"Jade, really, it's ok. I like you. You're the only person on both of these damn ships who hasn't mocked me for   
  
hugging the bartender." he said, his voice rife with self-deprecating humour. Jade shared a grin with him as she turned  
  
the wheel. "You needn't worry Will. I promise I will make sure nothing goes wrong." Will smiled "I know you won't. I'm  
  
sorry for treating you as though you didn't know what you were doing." he said sincerely. "I don't mate. That's what  
  
makes these shenanigans so much fun!" confided Jade, a manic grin spreading across her face. Shaking his head in   
  
mock-disaproval, Will headed off.   
  
Jade was mildly relieved that as the day progressed she did not see Jack, who was undoubtedly busy attending to things  
  
on his ship. It gave her time to breath easy from the embarassment of having to encounter what had happened between  
  
them the night before. She had acted rashly, the drink hadn't helped, the encouragement from Rita even less. Over the  
  
day both Rita and Elizabeth eagerly asked her in hushed voices of what had happened, Rita requesting far more explicit  
  
details than lady-like Elizabeth dared. Both times Jade insisted that nothing had occured, much to both of their   
  
disappointment. Jade knew that a part of her had recklessly decided that it didn't matter, it would only be one night,  
  
that one taste of what she wanted would be better than never having it at all. Now in the harsh light of day such an  
  
idea seemed idiotic. She had never once entertained the idea that Jack considered her in a different light to how he  
  
considered every other woman. True he thought of her as a friend, an ally even. But as someone desirable, she simply had  
  
the same appeal as a toy that all the other women of his choosing did. And why shouldn't she be? There was no reason  
  
for him to see her any differently. Why in God's name would he want to be chained down and obligated to any one person?  
  
That was almost against the principle of everything that Jack Sparrow was! She couldn't even object to this because   
  
she loved all that he was...  
  
But still...  
  
She was there for him to take if he only so much as gave her a glance.   
  
He was her weakness, her quiet longing that she desperately tried to overlook, the man she admired and trusted more than  
  
any other. And it infuriated her.  
  
"That Rita of yours is an interesting girl. I might want to go and have a look at Africa after what she's told me."   
  
Jade's heart fluttered in dismay at Jack's familiar voice, keeping her eye ahead of her as he swaggered past the wheel to  
  
the front of the ship, staring out at the gleaming blue water. He looked back and flashed her a wicked grin "Might even  
  
be some gold around for me to take possession of." Jade's brain mapped his image on to the inside of her eyelids, his  
  
dreadlocked bedraggled hair, those intense arrogant dark eyes, and that cheeky gold-trimmed smile. More importantly, all  
  
that was behind that idiotic smile and the crazed hair and clothes. There was no one like him.   
  
And there never would be.   
  
Effecting casualness,she grinned in agreement. "We have every opportunity to go there after this expedition." His smile   
  
widened even further and he straightened from leaning against the side, stepping forward and swinging round on a spoke   
  
on the wheel so that he stood next to her, close. Very close. "We? You intending to join me then Jade luv.? And here  
  
was me thinking I'd have to go all by me onesie." he said with exaggerated surprise, a teasing eyebrow raised but his   
  
eyes sparkling diamonds of charm. Cringing at her own foolishness, Jade found her tongue tying itself in knots trying   
  
to find a plausible excuse as her eyes darted across the monotonous sheet of ocean to avoid his face. "I didn't mean   
  
you and I together Jack I meant as in.... once this is all done with we can both... that is you and I, separately of   
  
course, can.... oh go back to your own ship and stop pestering me!" she finally snapped, causing him to laugh loudly at   
  
her embarassment. "Rule number one of being Jack Sparrow luv., always stay where you're not wanted." he declared,   
  
tilting the wheel to the left slightly, much to her annoyance. "If you have an urge to steer, go to your own ship." she   
  
grated, only for that unrepentant grin to spread across his face again. Lowering her voice, Jade avoided his gaze once   
  
more.  
  
"Jack, about last night..."  
  
"Which bit of it luv.?"   
  
Now she knew for sure he was teasing her, and it was aggravating the Hell out of her. "You know damn well which bit!  
  
And don't call me luv. in front of my crew." she snarled, keeping her voice quiet as she glanced round at the members of  
  
crew scattered around them, pretending to not be nosing in on what was going on. Betty and Margot caught the edge of   
  
one of her glares and abruptly looked as though they were attending to collecting tar to seal cracks with. Jack raised   
  
his eyebrows and looked round theatrically at the crew, eyes wide.   
  
"Oh I'm sorry, what would you prefer I called you then? Strumpet? Precious?"  
  
"Jack..."  
  
"My bonny lass? My pretty? Scrumptious?"  
  
"I'm warning you..."  
  
The crew were valiantly trying not to react to Jack's dramatic exclamations, all of which he was proclaiming as loudly as  
  
possible, but were having a very hard time of it. Several of them were choking back on giggles as he jumped on to the   
  
side of the ship.  
  
"Delectable little sea wench? Poppet? Petal? Sweetcakes?"  
  
"Jack you are dead flesh for the fish..." Jade seethed through her teeth, grabbing him and wrenching him off the side of  
  
the ship. Tempted as she was to knock the smirk off Jack's face, she didn't really get a chance before he grabbed her by  
  
the shoulders and pulled her close.   
  
"My little Sparrow." he murmured, seemingly oblivious to the crew being there at all. Jade's lips twitched around a   
  
smile that she tried to reign in. "You're an idiot." she said, the statement coming out tinged with laughter despite  
  
herself. He flashed her a manic grin   
  
"Aye luv., but I've got good company for it haven't I?". It struck Jade suddenly that he hadn't looked so happy in a   
  
very long while.   
  
Maybe....   
  
Maybe he feels....  
  
Jade remonstrated her pitiful hope and nodded for Jack to follow her to her cabin so they could discuss the course,  
  
yelling for Rita to take over the steering.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The course had been agreed upon and Jack had taken to rummaging through the bowl of fruit on Jade's desk, finally   
  
selecting an apple which he crunched on with apparent relish. The irony of Barbossa's obsession with the fruit and all  
  
that they were going to attempt was not lost on either of them, and Jack gave her a wink before plunking himself down   
  
onto her chair. Jade rolled her eyes as he made himself comfortable, slapping his feet off the table so she could move  
  
the maps from beneath them, collecting them up and shoving them in a nearby trunk. Keeping things tidy had never been   
  
her forte.  
  
"Now like I told you Jack, anything happens to my crew in between the time I take Barbossa to the tunnels and you catch   
  
up with us that I dislike, you'll not only be without any treasure you'll be without any limbs." Jade informed him,   
  
eyes flashing in warning. "Of course, I'll take impeccable care of them all. You just avoid doing anything stupid   
  
that'll leave all of us without any loot and we'll all be happy." said Jack, his mouth full. Jade gave him a grim smile  
  
"Now Jack, why would I want to go and do anything stupid when I can leave such things to you?" Jack sighed dramatically   
  
and stood up, coming over and draping an arm around her shoulders. Jade stiffened slightly at the touch and tried  
  
determinedly to loosen up. "Now if we were on MY ship and you said such things, I'd get to throw you overboard." he  
  
said cheerfully, displaying his amazing ability to ignore people when they were glaring daggers at him. "I guess it's a  
  
good thing we're not on your ship then isn't it?" she said, fixing him with a dryly humouring look. She didn't like the  
  
expression on his face as she noticed that the arm around her shoulders had become more caressing,the hand absentmindedly  
  
playing with her hair. "Ain't it just Poppet?" he replied quietly, his gaze flickering down to her mouth. Jade   
  
swallowed down the growing nerves that the rum of last night had helped to keep at bay. For the life of her she wasn't  
  
sure if she could move.  
  
"Jack, are you waiting for an opportune moment on something?" she asked cautiously, almost jumping out of her skin as his  
  
hand crept underneath her hair onto the nape of her neck. He tilted his head as if considering this, squinting comically  
  
before shrugging "Yeah." he said simply, his long fingers delicately massaging the back of her neck. Jade was almost  
  
positive she should be moving away from him. "But opportune moments are hard to come by. If a person finds an opportune  
  
moment, and the moment is interrupted, by no fault of the opportunist, they should try and make their own opportune   
  
moment. I mean, they're never sure when the next opportune moment will come up, if at all. So the person should go and  
  
get their own opportune moment, don't you think?" Jack rattled off with such breathless speed that Jade had a hard time  
  
keeping up, frowning in confusion as he waved his hands wildly. Jade blinked slowly and stared at him blearily, trying  
  
to gather her frazzled thoughts.  
  
"Ummm...."   
  
This was all she managed before he had snaked his other hand around her neck and dragged her forward in a hot insistent  
  
kiss, his tongue darting into her mouth and seeming to dislodge every remnant of rational thought she had had over the  
  
past day.   
  
She didn't want to be one of the many. She didn't WANT to become so immersed and drugged by the swelling feelings she   
  
kept in check that she would not be able to function. One of them, even BOTH of them could be dead after what they were  
  
attempting, a feeling she had hidden in the depths of her stomach but which now flew up to her chest and clamped it with  
  
fear. She couldn't let these emotions get the better of her.  
  
But that was just what her mind wanted, and her mind seemed to matter very little when Captain Jack Sparrow was   
  
ravenously kissing her.   
  
Her brain went utterly blank as she tried futilely to drag herself away, pushing feebly at his chest. Either Jack was   
  
too caught up to notice or the protest didn't bother him because one arm had slid around her waist and she found herself  
  
pinned against him, every inch of flesh touching his. The breath caught in her throat as the other hand slid underneath   
  
her shirt and caressed her skin, making every part he touched tingle almost painfully. She felt her heart constrict as   
  
he broke the kiss to try and find breath again, leaving wet teasing pecks of kisses over her mouth and jawline before   
  
sealing their mouths together again.   
  
Just make this moment last for a small eternity and I'll be happy.  
  
Giving up on protesting before she had even really started, Jade entwined her fingers in his hair and pressed herself  
  
even closer, his heat seeping into her and making her feel warm and almost giddy. Her kisses moved from his mouth to his  
  
throat, sucking gently along his pulsepoint before tugging, impatiently pulling at his shirt. She wanted every inch of  
  
this flesh, to know it, master it. To leave her mark on him and let him leave his mark on her. He laughed breathlessly,  
  
his hands trailing across her stomach. "Glad to see we're in agreement Jade." he said, flashing her a grin before   
  
returning the favour of dragging her shirt out of the way of his seeking hands.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I was just thinking about the plan Jade."  
  
"And?" replied Jade, her eyes skimming over the map she was looking at, lying on her stomach in the bed with her ankles  
  
crossed and swinging aimlessly in the air.   
  
"Barbossa's going to be suspicious. Every pirate knows about the Minotaur tunnels and how dangerous they are. He won't   
  
run the risk just to get some gold."   
  
Jade finally bothered looking up and frowned slightly in thought at the pillow next to her. "Yes I've been thinking that   
  
myself... Maybe if he thought something else he wanted was in there."  
  
  
  
"Like what else?" replied Jack, one hand languidly tiptoeing up Jade's spine as he lay on his side next to her. There   
  
was a moment of tense silence in which she refused to look at anything, waiting for him to comprehend. She sensed when   
  
as his fingers stopped on her bare back and slid away.   
  
"... Like me?".   
  
Jade forced her eyes up to meet his black ones, waiting for the anger she could not blame him for. In truth she was  
  
furious with herself for being so rock-headed that she would even consider using Jack as bait. She would gladly have told  
  
him she would have been bait if it had been to good effect, if it would stop him having to do it. But the words were   
  
stuck fast behind the pride that lodged her throat.   
  
"All right then."   
  
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she tried to keep her expression neutral. He was looking back at her with the same  
  
carelessly reckless expression he normally wore. "You're daft Jack." she said finally, making a statement. "Makes for  
  
far more interesting times darlin'." he said blithely, his hand returning to her shoulders and stroking across them with  
  
an almost languid casualness. Leaning across, she gave him a brief kiss and his eyebrows rose in surprise as she moved  
  
away, turning back to the map. Better that he didn't have a clue of how far the emotions ran in her. Such slip-ups   
  
could not be tolerated, from now on it would have to be pure professionality. There couldn't be anything else with all  
  
they were risking.   
  
"... Jack?"  
  
"Mmmm?"  
  
"What's your hand doing?"  
  
"Stretching it's legs luv."  
  
"I'm trying to concentrate. Would if help if I put some clothes on?"   
  
"'Course not luv. I'd only have to take them off again."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Hee hee? More action in the next one, we'll actually have FIGHTS hopefully :D. Tell me what you think XXX  
  
P.S. Could I plz have some opinions on my idea for a sequel? If ppl don't say anything I won't do it. 


	11. Let's see if Hell can spit you out again

quiet-one145: Lol okies okies I'll be good! See, there's NO smut in this one! Hope you like :D  
  
milady*sparrow: Awwww god you are the BEST reviewer ever! Thank you so much you're lovely, I really appreciate it, not  
  
much smut in this one but might be some in the future *ducks under quiet-one's expression* hee hee. And Jack Sparrow is  
  
my DREAM partner, I can't get enough of him either!  
  
eva: awww wow thank you! I wasn't expecting anyone new to start reviewing so WHEEEEE! *Ahem*. And ain't rum damn good?!  
  
I got rather drunk on it last weekend :S.  
  
Considering I think Barbossa rules, I don't half make him eevil! MWAHHAAHAAA!   
  
Oooh and I was thinking for a pos. sequel, more based around Rita and *change of plans....* Commodore Norrington? With  
  
of course other characters inc. Jade all being in it. I've kinda got a semi-plan if ppl like the sound of that, so   
  
lemme know :D Enjoy...  
  
** = flashbacks  
  
*11*  
  
Will joined the crew of the Black Pearl as they stood and stared at the Isla de Muerto with grim expressions. Nothing  
  
but bad memories came from such a place, and Will could not help the trepidation that he was beginning to feel. His  
  
initial concerns had not left him even if his trust of Jade had improved somewhat. This was still a stupid action and   
  
there were STILL enough risks to cause that deadened tightening in his chest. This foreboding did not seem ready to   
  
leave him any time soon, and the mere fact that he even felt it caused his concern to grow. Was some inner part of him  
  
trying to warn him that this was all going to go hideously wrong? Maybe Jack was wrong, and he was no more a pirate than  
  
he was a duck. Certainly a real pirate should not be so unnerved by the prospect of the bloodshed to come. Where was   
  
his resolve when he needed it? He was not a coward, certainly not, but also he was not a fool. The risks were making a  
  
drumbeat inside his head.  
  
The Sea Demon glided up alongside the Pearl silently as Anamaria came to stand beside him. She gave him an encouraging  
  
smile and handed him Gibb's flask. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and she shrugged "I pilfered it off him a minute  
  
ago. It helps people to bolt their nerves down into their stomachs." Will smiled and accepted it, taking a long draught  
  
of whatever vilely bitter drink it was he had in there. "So I'm not the only one that's concerned." Will said, handing  
  
her the flask back. She shook her head, wrinkling her nose against the strong smell exuding from the flask before  
  
capping it again "We have two very capable Captains here, even if they are both deranged. You don't wait for things to  
  
work Will, you make them work." she said before walking away. Will could not help but think these words to be far more  
  
useful than any soft reassurances that things could not possibly go wrong. If things WERE to go wrong, then they would  
  
have to make them right again. Will grinned to himself before glancing round as Jack exited his cabin. That was the  
  
pirate way.   
  
The crew of the Sea Demon were all coming aboard the Pearl, bringing with them whatever supplies and other necessities  
  
they felt they needed. Whilst the Pearl was a large ship it was in truth not large enough to accomodate two crews, but  
  
most had resolved to sleep on deck. Elizabeth had been inordinately surprised that some of the Pearl crewmembers were  
  
displaying suspiciously chivalrous-like behaviour in offering their bunks to ladies from the Sea Demon crew. "They   
  
might almost pass for gentlemen one of these days." she had thought to herself. Jade's voice addressing her crew had   
  
attracted all of their attention.  
  
"Ok ladies, you know what's going to happen now. You will stay with the ever-helpful Captain Sparrow, until you reach   
  
Dailea island. You will keep watch for my signal from the Minotaur tunnels. If the signal you see is blue, we're all   
  
very rich, soon to be very drunk crewmates..." her crew grinned and chuckled at the prospect of this before she continued  
  
"If the signal you see is green, there is a small problem and me and the others will be needing help. But if the signal   
  
is red, I forbid every one of you to set foot or timber across land or sea to come after me. Because everything has been  
  
lost." Will could not fail to notice how her crew shifted uncomfortably at this order and was warmed to his core at the   
  
support they gave their Captain. "Now get to sortin' yourselves out you bunch of cockroaches, and make yourselves   
  
useful while you're taking up space on this lovely ship!" she declared, sending them all flailing off in different   
  
directions. She now walked up to where Jack and Will stood together.   
  
Jack's eyes narrowed in appraisal of the dress Jade wore. An indiscrimate blue-green. "Didn't think you'd still be able  
  
to fit into that little number Jade." he said, unsure of his own reaction to seeing the Jade of now looking so like the   
  
Jade of the past. Jade shrugged and flicked at the unwielding skirts "Barbossa wanted a whore, not a pirate woman. I   
  
have to look as he remembered me." The bluntness of her words made Will wince, and he saw how they cut Jack. He was   
  
more than aware of the developments between Jade and Jack, even if they did hide it impeccably well. They were as surly   
  
and rude with each other as ever, not allowing whatever occured when they were alone to effect how they treated each   
  
other. However, certain glances that he caught between them might as well have been screams, but he knew they had no   
  
wish for such things to become public knowledge. Whilst Will was also sure that Elizabeth knew of it, he never discussed   
  
it with her. "Nothing can come from it. Not when I am who I am, and he is the drunken fool that he is. I'm just...   
  
indulging my insane wants" Will had heard Jade whisper earnestly to Elizabeth before he had entered the room, and the   
  
conversation had been stopped abruptly short.   
  
Nothing could come from it.  
  
He could not help but agree with this sentiment.   
  
Jade was now turning to Rita and conferring about her return to the Pearl. "I don't wan' to come back Jade. I don't  
  
trust you to save your own skin if you can." said Rita insistently, vestiges of her African accent creeping out in her  
  
anxiety. "I can save my own skin just fine Rita, if something goes wrong, this crew will need your skin to keep them  
  
alive, and more literally so they can get some of that gold. They won't want to have been dragged here for nothing, it'll  
  
keep them sweet for you." said Jade, grinning with a grim nature beneath it and nudging her shoulder. Rita's eyes   
  
widened and she remained stiffly still, almost shrunken in size. "What are you sayin'?" she whispered harshly. Jade   
  
swallowed tightly, becoming serious, and gripped her first mate around the shoulders, speaking in a fast low tone as if  
  
to spit out the words of intimacy before they caused her embarassment "I'm saying you scabrous little swine that this   
  
ship and crew is yours if I never come back. I want to live for another hundred years so I can drink and dance and   
  
plunder and loot and fight and feel the wind and get damn near drowned trying to put out fires that YOU start on my ship,   
  
and I WILL fight and kill until the last drop of my blood has gone for that. So don't be makin' any plans on my not   
  
coming back. But if I'm going to die, I want to know my ship and crew have a Captain that's worth her salt. D'you hear   
  
me?" Rita's eyes glazed with unshed tears that she fiercely blinked back "Aye Cap'n Quinn." Locking hands with her in   
  
a tight handshake, she turned away.  
  
Jade found herself face to face with a worryingly serious looking Jack. "I was thinking about the plan again Jade luv."  
  
he said cautiously, waving one hand in a placating fashion as he saw the exasperated expression crossing Jade's face.   
  
"Again?!" she exclaimed, pulling pins from her sleeve and proceeding to pin up her hair in coils. "Yes, again. I was   
  
hoping we could change part of it." he said, staggering after her as she headed towards one of the rowboats that was   
  
being prepared for her departure. "What bit would that be?" she asked over her shoulder, only to be spun firmly round.   
  
Jack opened his mouth to speak, a look of agitated frustration crossing over his face in a flash of indecision. Jade  
  
tensed herself.  
  
"I don't want you to go." he said finally, shaking his head and raising his arms in a baffled gesture as if he didn't   
  
quite understand it himself. Jade stood in mute silence for a minute, these words thrumming through her brain. This  
  
was the closest Jack had come to expressing any manner of proper sentiment towards her at all. Of all the worst times   
  
for him to suddenly develop a compassionate side! Again that fear coiled up inside her. Using Jack as bait. How could  
  
she be so stupid? The one thing from both past and present that she cherished, admired and loved, and she was risking   
  
it. The resolution inside her strengthened like a death grip. This was her revenge, her requirement. She would not   
  
allow any of them to die for her sake.  
  
"Jack," she murmured softly, stepping up close to him "I have to do this. It will be all right." Seeing that she was   
  
not going to agree Jack instantly backed down, shutting himself off as if automatically. The embarassment of having   
  
shown his concern was clearly too much for him.  
  
"Right, ok. Fair enough. Good luck." he said shortly, flashing a bitter grin and motioning her off broadly before   
  
turning away. Jade bit down on her lip to silence her desire to call him back as he swayed away to his cabin,   
  
slamming the doors. He was like a churlish child for God's sake, a part of her thought furiously, before swells of cold  
  
determination swallowed it up. That and enough sorrow for her to form a cocoon of, but which she froze adamantly in the  
  
depths of her purpose. If he was angry with her he would not be worried for her. Calling Rita over, she clambered into   
  
one boat and was progressively lowered into the water by the crew on ropes. Rita took the other boat, a larger and more  
  
sturdy one from the Sea Demon. It was her who would have to carry the Aztec chest back to the Pearl before they could  
  
disembark. Cutting through the water easily with the oars, they skimmed towards the mist-shrouded island, the two ships   
  
getting smaller with each stroke.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Taking a tendril of her red hair, Jade sliced it cleanly off with a knife, trailing the gleaming strands from her   
  
fingertips into the bowl of powder Rita had placed at her feet. Rita had lit torches randomly about the cave so that the  
  
shadows danced to their steady heartbeats, flickering as remnants at the edge of Jade's vision. "What is that Rita?"   
  
she asked absentmindedly, her eyes already hardened, cold and vacant, for the confrontation with her own private demons.   
  
Rita glanced up from where she was crouched drawing her native symbol of life on the rock where Barbossa had fallen and  
  
looked across at the bowl of powder. "You really want to know? It's ground bones, sea kelp and strands of feathers.   
  
Life from Earth, life from Sea, life from Air." she said humorlessly, finishing the symbol and straightening. "What   
  
about Life from Fire?" Jade asked, only half listening, but nevertheless curious. "There is no life from fire. All   
  
Fire creates is destruction."   
  
Having said this, Rita took the nearest torch and pressed the dancing flame against her arm.   
  
Letting out a sharp yowl of pain as the flesh scorched, she dropped the torch and crumpled to the floor, Jade flying   
  
over the catch hold of her. "What in God's name are you doing you stupid whore?!" yelled Jade, eyes fully awake now,   
  
fully focused on her friend as she trembled in pain. Rita dragged in a shuddering breath and managed a shaky smile   
  
"Humans are... destructive. So Fire's destruction is required... to bring him and his crew back." Jade impatiently   
  
wrenched Rita's hand from the wound, drawing in breath sharply at the burnt pulpish pink flesh. She had never questioned  
  
Rita's loyalty, and now she realised with horrid clarity that she had never rejoiced in it either. An unsung ally and   
  
never faltering friend. ".... Why didn't you tell me?! I would have done it." hissed Jade painfully through her teeth,   
  
face taut with guilt. Rita held back a moan against the pain, still trembling horribly, before choking out a laugh "I   
  
wouldn't be a very good First mate if I let you burn yerself Cap'n." she managed. Struggling upright despite Jade's   
  
attempts to keep her still, she took a knife and cut clean across the freshly burnt wound, her blood dripping into the   
  
bowl of powder.   
  
Jade physically recoiled at the sight, Rita's reassuring smile giving her no comfort. "It should not be you who has to  
  
do this." she said quietly as she watched the strain Rita was under not to simply curl up under the assault of pain.   
  
"I'm Cap'n Rekedaine's daughter Jade Quinn. Show some respect for my strength." said Rita sharply, but not unkindly, the  
  
twinkle in her eye showing the humour she grimly clung to. Struggling to tear some material from her shirt to bandage  
  
her arm, Rita looked up to see Jade hurrying forward, ripping part of her skirt and carefully bandaging her burnt arm.   
  
"Stupid little brat." she murmured through gritted teeth, trying to hide her concern. Rita smiled to herself and   
  
allowed her to finish bandaging before taking the bowl and placing it on the symbol she had painted. Jade simply stared  
  
down at the skeletal remains of Barbossa. "I still find it hard to believe we will be bringing THAT into some semblance  
  
of life again." she said quietly, her tone almost awed. Rita took up another torch and dropped it into the bowl, which  
  
came alight in a shooting torrent of flames. "Believe it." she said, eyes glowing in the shockingly bright flames that  
  
had erupted.   
  
The words that spilled from Rita's mouth became a deep resonant thrum, a backbeat in Jade's consciousness in a language  
  
she could not understand. It all seemed so hideously, so idiotically unreal that she could almost have laughed, a  
  
strangely euphoric, drunken feeling slipping over her. The air around her seemed to tingle with poignancy, charged with   
  
energy. Perhaps even with life.   
  
"They say Hell spat you and your crew out. Let's see if they can spit you out again."   
  
Lifting the bowl up, Rita nodded to Jade. Jade opened a pouch in which she had collected fragments of bone from each of  
  
the crew's skeletons. Norrington had not wasted time taking the crew back, they had all been hung right here on the   
  
island. After all, when a crew attacked your ship and butchered your men, it was rather self-evident that they had   
  
committed an act of piracy, and didn't exactly require a trial. With only a small amount of distaste, Jade had cut them  
  
all down and dragged their rotting carcasses in to the cave. Jade took the flaming bowl from Rita and nodded towards   
  
the boats where they had put the chest. "You should go. I don't want them seeing you when they wake up." Rita nodded  
  
reluctantly and walked away to the boats. Once she had rowed out about halfway towards the Pearl, Jade turned back to   
  
her task. Giving herself a mental shake and squaring her shoulders, she emptied the pouch into the flaming bowl, and  
  
blew out the flames.  
  
An impossible amount of smoke seemed to pour from the bowl, filling up the room like a fog in a thick, all-consuming   
  
shroud. In particular Jade noticed as she peered through the gloom, the smoke seemed to gather around the bodies,   
  
coiling round them as though it had conscious thought. The very idea made her shudder as the air seemed to positively   
  
spark with power. 'This is insane,'a part of her thought 'a mist can't reanimate dead flesh for god's sake!'. But even   
  
as she thought such things her heart was pounding in her mouth, and through the gusts of smoke she could see the vague   
  
outlines of the crew... still... unmoving...  
  
Was that one breathing?   
  
Her heart jolted unexpectedly and she stepped backwards, wanting to reach for a weapon, anything, but forcing herself to  
  
remain calm. The smoke was beginning to clear and the tension in her chest squeezed tighter, tighter as her hands itched  
  
for the sword that she knew was no longer around her waist. As the smoke thinned she felt all the air fly out of her  
  
lungs to leave an empty hole inside her as she saw what she had intended but perhaps had never actually expected to   
  
occur.  
  
In grim rows like a procession, lay the crew. Exactly as she knew them, eyelids closed as though in the deepest of   
  
sleeps, they were as they always had been. Bo was still adorned with scars and assortments, Twig still had his beard.   
  
Swallowing down her fear, she turned stiffly to look upon Barbossa. The same nose, the same mouth, the same hair. The   
  
same mottled red skin from the ravages of the sea. She found herself moving forwards whilst it felt like she simply   
  
watched from a great distance, her own actions meaning nothing to her as she regarded the scene with a quiet detached   
  
calm. Kneeling down beside Barbossa, she placed a trembling hand gently against his face, and shook him lightly.   
  
His hand shot up and gripped her wrist viciously as he flew into a sitting position, letting out a roar of horror and   
  
anger. The hand that was raised to strike her froze and she cowered under the hand as she always had, feeling again the  
  
vulnerability, the fear. She was a small helpless girl again, a dog waiting to be kicked. The madness and panic slowly  
  
drifted from his eyes and he focused properly on her face, his expression melting from aggression to disbelief.   
  
"Jade?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The crew milled around in various places about the cavern, some talking heatedly about what the Hell was going on and   
  
what they remembered last, most simply sitting and touching themselves and their surroundings with a mute amazement.   
  
Eyes cautiously drifted to where Barbossa and Jade were standing, distant but with gazes locked in a struggle for   
  
understanding.  
  
"Yeh look different girl." he commented idly, eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. She smiled and shrugged, aimlessly  
  
toying with a tendril of hair "Ten years or so of living on a ship will do that to you. As you'd know." she replied,  
  
giving him a pointed smile. "What are yeh doin' here? And what's happened to me 'n' the crew, last thing I remember I   
  
was..." "Dead?" She completed for him, raising her eyebrows sharply. "I brought you back. Brought you all back," she  
  
said loudly, attracting the attention of the rest of the crew "After I was... shot I was pulled from the water by a young  
  
woman who was fishing. I only know this from what I have been told, because I was in fact, dead. As I can tell you   
  
thought I was. No doubt your first thought when you saw me was you were in your own special Hell. ...The woman   
  
resurrected me, for want of a better term, because she felt it was not yet my time to die. I made her tell me how she   
  
did it." "Aye, and where's this girl now?" asked Barbossa, his voice mistrusting. Jade smiled cruelly "About six feet   
  
under I believe. Hard to resurrect yourself."   
  
The crew laughed at this and Barbossa broke out into a dark smile. "And why did yeh see fit to bring us back then   
  
missy?" he inquired, pacing closer, his wary eye never leaving her. "I've been trying to find you for the last ten   
  
years, but you're a hard man to catch up with. Then I heard that that... BASTARD Sparrow, had killed you." she said,   
  
hissing Jack's name out virulently between her teeth even as it made her feel safer just to think of him. The Port in   
  
the storm. The small remnant of sanity and warmth glowing inside the cold mad anger that filled her as she watched the  
  
man who had bought her. Barbossa sneered "From what I recall you and Jack were on somewhat... amiable terms." he said,   
  
leering slightly as the crew chuckled. She smirked bitterly "I simply don't agree with mutiny. But the man meant   
  
nothing to me, less than nothing. He was a fool, a drunken idiot. And after what he did to you, I feel he deserves   
  
anything that he gets." Steeling herself, she stepped closer, sliding her hands up over Barbossa's chest. He took in his  
  
breath sharply, but kept his face guardedly blank as she leant in close to whisper to him. Still after so many years he   
  
seemed to find her a hard woman to say no to. "I now see that you are meant to be the Captain of the Black Pearl. I see  
  
that you deserve all the prestige, all the power. I wanted to make it up to you, my Love. I can give you, Captain Jack   
  
Sparrow."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
** "... plenty of reason. On what course has Sparrow led us? Nought but a destructive one, 'n' a profitless one at   
  
that."   
  
Jade froze at the door, her hand stock still over the handle, before she crept back slightly into the shadows, eyes   
  
trained on the crack in the door. The crew gave a murmur of agreement in the dim candlelight of the hold, all watching  
  
Barbossa as he warmed to his theme.  
  
"The man has no guts, no strength enough to be a real pirate. Reckonin' on sparin' lives and such like, and what has he  
  
given us? Nothin', promises of this great gold on the Isla de Muerto, but he wouldn't even give us the course... Until  
  
tonight."  
  
The general babble of the crew grew louder as their excitement swelled before Barbossa quietened them with a wave of his  
  
hand.   
  
"I hold here the coordinates to the Isla de Muerta. I've told yer before lads, we don't NEED Sparrow! And the one purpose  
  
he served has now... come to a close." The crew laughed darkly at this as Barbossa grinned. Jade could see the enthusiasm  
  
and blood lust rife in their eyes as she struggled to retain her breath, panic beginning to swell through her like a   
  
tidal wave.   
  
Not Jack. I won't let them, not him, he's my sanity in this private Hell of mine. He's the only thing I've ever had   
  
that has mattered and they CAN'T touch him.   
  
Turning on her heel, Jade flew up the steps to Jack's room.**  
  
**Jack looked over the course he had laid out on his maps, frowning slightly to himself as he considered Barbossa's   
  
demand to know the coordinates. Whilst he didn't trust Barbossa any more than he trusted his own mother to suddenly jump  
  
back to life, he did not wish to hide things from his crew. He had after all, stated that they would all have a fair  
  
share. He leapt to his feet in surprise as Jade flew into the room, panting for breath, her eyes almost crazed with   
  
fear. "Jack you have to do something, they're going to kill you! They're going to mutiny Jack!" she hissed in desperate  
  
whispers, seemingly unable to hold still as she flailed in front of him. Gripping her tightly by the shoulders in order  
  
to still her he shook her.   
  
"Calm down Jade, just calm down! Is what you're saying true? Are you telling me the truth?!" he demanded, more   
  
aggressive and threatening than she had ever known him to be. "It's true Jack, I promise it's true,but please we have   
  
to get you out of here..." she continued in a flurry of speech, only for him to release her and look quietly dazed before   
  
focusing on her once more, straightening in hard determination. "Now that's where you're wrong lass. This is my ship,   
  
and if they want it, they'll have to kill me first." He saw her face fall in dismay and fear, but also with resignation.   
  
She knew all too well how much this ship meant to him. How many times had he ranted at her that there would never be a   
  
finer ship on the ocean than his Pearl?   
  
"What do you intend to do?" she asked as he buckled his belt around his waist and threw his jacket on. "Give Barbossa a  
  
big wet sloppy bullet kiss. You on the other hand, are going to stay here, and not do anything stupid." Jack replied, his  
  
tone light but his eyes burning murder. "Please Jack don't do this, you'll only get yourself killed." she begged,   
  
grabbing his hand to try and stop him. Even as she did so the door burst open for the second time, to reveal Barbossa   
  
and the crew brandishing their weapons. "Glad to see you're dressed for the occasion Jack." declared Barbossa with an   
  
expression that said he had already won. This look faded as he saw Jade there, her hand tightly in Jack's. For the   
  
first time, and for the only time that Jade would ever see, emotions she had thought totally alien to Barbossa's dead  
  
heart flittered across his face.  
  
Hurt.  
  
Betrayal.  
  
But only too swiftly, they were replaced with his familiar anger.  
  
"Oh," he said, his tone so twisted with bitter fury and mocking that it made Jade's skin ripple with terror. "Oh well  
  
what have we here?"**  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	12. Loyalty

Eva: NOOOO! NOT MY RUM! I'M WRITING LOOK AT ME GO! *types frantically*  
  
Jackfan2: Thankee sooo much, you gave me some very good points to work on. I hadn't thought about how Will would react  
  
to Jack going off on his own, though I was going to have him going after him. Plus I LOVE what you said about the Future  
  
being worth the risk. You should take over this fan fic., lol :D  
  
Ok so I know this is VERY short in comparison with how long I normally have chapters, but I couldn't think of what else   
  
to add to this segment. Hopefully more to come when my brain gets in gear.   
  
** = flashbacks  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack's eyes were trained grimly on the horizon that normally evoked so much satisfaction from him, and right now only  
  
brought him aggravation. The deck was crowded even moreso than normal, crew members heatedly getting under each others  
  
feet performing a multitude of tasks, some of which were of no necessity at all other than they kept people occupied.  
  
After all, Jade had demanded that her crew earn their keep on this ship, and they seemed reluctant to gainsay any orders  
  
given by their Captain. Rita was watching over them with a brittle strictness that could only be provoked by anxiety,  
  
her orders clipped, her temper frayed.   
  
Nothing to do, but wait...  
  
"How far off are we?" Elizabeth inquired, stepping up to beside Jack. Will had been hovering behind him for the past   
  
ten minutes, but the usually talkative pirate had not even acknowledged his presence. "A day, maybe a little more."  
  
replied Jack, spinning the wheel and looking ready to sink back into contemplative silence again. Determined to rouse   
  
him, Elizabeth decided a little baiting was in order. "Why so quiet? Is the GREAT Captain Jack Sparrow scared of whats  
  
to come?" She challenged, raising her eyebrows in a teasing fashion when his indignant eyes flashed to meet hers. "Me??  
  
Scared?? I'd be more scared of that damn monkey than I am of Barbossa! I killed him once, and if necessary I'll do it  
  
again." Jack replied incredulously, his normal eccentricities and wild hand wavings coming to the fore once again.   
  
Elizabeth smiled and laughed, glad to see Jack was relaxing slightly. The fact that once the chest, that leaden ornate  
  
Aztec chest that skulked in the corner of the hold, was disposed of there would be no way of killing Barbossa, was one   
  
that both of them ignored.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jade watched Barbossa as he paced nearby the wheel where she stood, closing his eyes on occasion to savour the feel of   
  
the wind. Having been dead certainly made the world seem all the more beautiful. Jade knew that much herself. Being  
  
near him was harder than she had thought, the pain and anger so high up inside her throat she could not speak for fear of  
  
unleashing it. She would have killed him in an instant if she lost that precious control, and she needed him alive.   
  
The crew were fairing the world with equal cheer, laughter and enjoyment rife as they manned the ship. Jade clenched her  
  
teeth down on the bitter taste of bile as she thought of what they would be doing to celebrate their new freedom and   
  
life if she had not given them this diversion to the Tunnels.   
  
  
  
Murdering, pillaging, destroying. They didn't know anything else. Her forehead creased into the subtlest of frowns as   
  
an inner part of her saw the mirrored comparison of her own crew. Always she had loathed these men, these pirates. But   
  
the only thing she had ever known how to be ever since the day she joined them, was to be a pirate herself. She recalled  
  
even now those words Barbossa had uttered, claiming Jack was not a true pirate, and it enraged her. Jack was everything   
  
a true pirate was. Deceptive, ruthless,treasure-mad, booze-driven... but with honour. Honour was something that   
  
Barbossa had never had even the vaguest comprehension of, only knowing greed and want and violence. He had no loyalty,   
  
no compassion, no warmth. A true pirate,like Jack, like Rita, like even Will though he'd never admit it, had all of   
  
these things. Barbossa had never cared for anyone.   
  
'He cared for you...'  
  
Jade gripped the wheel agonisingly to hold inside her something in between hysterical laughter and howls of anger. He   
  
had cared for her... But of course he had...  
  
**The night air bit her cheeks like a hateful kiss as the mutinous crew swelled around her, hardness and violence, nothing  
  
but hardness and violence. Barbossa had gotten hold of her hair and she was thrown into the arms of Ragetti who held her  
  
in a crushing grip, taking the breath from her lungs.   
  
Where was Jack?  
  
Her eyes swivelled madly in search of him, and he was being dragged from the cabin, a dozen swords to his throat to   
  
prevent any rash action. His face was tight with barely concealed anger, but he was trying to be reasonable, talking a  
  
mile a minute, lying through his teeth, stretching out the charm. Trying to wriggle out of this all and no one was   
  
listening to him. Cold steel met with Jade's throat and she looked up into Barbossa's eyes. "If you're very lucky lass,  
  
I may not kill yeh." he hissed, his face still ablaze with that furious anger. He leant closer now, his harsh breath   
  
wafting over her face "But I'm sure yeh'd prefer death to what I have planned for yeh." Turning from her, he laughed  
  
emptily as Jack grinned nervously. Jack wasn't an idiot. He wasn't going to try and fight his way through all of them.  
  
"Now Jack, what d'yeh reckon would be the easiest way to get rid of yeh? My personal preference is keelhaulin' yeh.   
  
What about it boys?" The crew all bayed for blood, their agreement more than apparent. "D'yeh like the sound of that  
  
Jade?" Barbossa had turned to her again, his smile showing the challenge in this question. It didn't matter to Jade.   
  
He could do what he wanted to her now. All that sang through her blood and pounded in her heart as adrenaline was the  
  
simple words that hissed out of her throat on impulse like a primal promise.  
  
"No. No I won't let you." she spat with all of her being and Barbossa span, backhanding her so hard that she fell out of  
  
Ragetti's iron-hard grip, blood spilling down her face. Her world momentarily blurred into a hot haze as she tried  
  
to think, and Jack bit down on his tongue and clenched his fists so he would not try and get to her. This was his mess.  
  
Why did she have to be so pig-headed? Couldn't she stay out of it? The crew positively thrummed with excitement, watching  
  
Barbossa as he turned to Jack once more, still smiling that bitter, dark smile. He beckoned for him to be brought   
  
forwards and those who held him eagerly dragged him to their new Captain. Barbossa looked him slowly up and down before   
  
shrugging and grinning "Oh te Hell with it, what's say I just shoot him and get it over with boys?" The crew roared, and   
  
Barbossa pulled out his pistol, cocked it, aimed it. The crew all flew back, parted like a curtain to give him a clean  
  
shot of their Captain.  
  
"NO!"   
  
The sharp crack of the bullet echoed thinly into the night as Barbossa stood frozen with the smoking pistol, as the crew   
  
stood mute.   
  
She was supposed to stay still. She was supposed to submit. She was supposed to stay quiet and allow it to happen. No   
  
one was more surprised than Jack to see the bullet hit HER. His brain could barely conceive as to what had happened even  
  
as he knew she had just stepped in the way of HIS bullet.   
  
The blood was oozing languidly from beneath where her hand clenched like a punch against her own chest. She was swaying  
  
in the wind like a reed of grass and they were all frozen in disbelief at what had just happened. Jack held out a hand,  
  
intent on pulling her to him, on curing what could not be cured when her eyes turned to his. He had to stop the bleeding,  
  
had to had to had to... She was dying right in front of him, for him. This was beyond any loyalty he had ever expected,   
  
ever WANTED from anyone. A poor trade for living if she had to die. Not Jade. He needed to move, he needed to... Those   
  
vibrant eyes that had a flame that was flickering out.   
  
She was too close to the edge, and even as he realised this she was stumbling,losing balance, falling, he was reaching   
  
out to grab her, launching himself forward and his hands only caught air. Hands knuckle-white on the edge of the ship,  
  
he looked at the sea where she had hit with eyes that couldn't blink. She wasn't coming back up.**  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jade's eyes swam back into focus as she looked up at Barbossa, her brain vaguely registering that she had been spoken to.  
  
"What's that my love?" She asked lightly, his suspicious gaze locked on hers. "How did yeh get to the Isla de Muerto on  
  
this fine ship with no crew?" he asked again, eyebrows raised. She smiled and shrugged "I didn't trust your men to not  
  
attack the lasses who were kind enough to drop me off. I set 'em adrift in some rowboats." she replied. His grin   
  
broadened and he stepped forwards next to her. Jade wondered whether he realised how fixed the sweet smile was on her   
  
face as he slid a hand around her neck, whispering hotly in her ear. "That's my girl." 


	13. Travelling

quiet-one145: DAMN RIGHT Barbossa's an evil little.... *insert whatever swear word/fish/cooking implement strikes your  
  
fancy* I actually love his character so I should probably do a fan fic where he ain't so easy to hate! Hope you continue  
  
to like..  
  
JohnnyDeppBabe: Thankee v. much, and thanks for pointing out mistakes. I just type like a dervish so I sometimes don't  
  
notice when I make a mistake.  
  
eva: Yep, I'm addicted to several stories on here, but I've been mighty restrained as of late! Hence the lateness of this  
  
chapter *looks nervous* you're not gonna take my rum are you?  
  
SuzzieQue: hee hee thankee kindly, I love writing Jack even if I do the character NO justice whatsoever.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rita scowled and scrubbed a hand across her cheek, leaving a streak of grime over her nose as she went. Determined to  
  
keep up work regardless, she and Anamaria had tackled the vigorous job of maintenance of the cannons. They were both   
  
filthy and becoming quietly aggravated with the heavy metal barrels before them, attacking them with something approaching  
  
vengeful cleanliness.   
  
"Why in God's name are we even doing this? The Gunpowder just smokes these out again every time they get used." grumbled  
  
Anamaria, scouring away at the inside of the barrel. Poor excuses she knew, but she couldn't help complaining. "So long  
  
as I'm not abovedecks I don't care. Everybody scuttling around like rats, I'm tempted to kick some people overboard just  
  
so I can have room to think!" snarled Rita aggressively. Anamaria took her harshness light-heartedly, not bothered  
  
by an anger she knew wasn't directed at her, or even at her crewmembers. It had taken them a while, but slowly people  
  
had begun to realise that this angry ranting was just... Rita. It wasn't intentional, it was simply an initial   
  
intimidating front that warded off the less brave from going anywhere near her. Not that the current situation they had  
  
found themselves in helped Rita's sharp temperament. Anamaria wondered if she dare venture across the topic of Jade with  
  
Rita. Fiercely protective and unquestioningly loyal, Rita had been bristling like a wildcat whenever Jade was so much   
  
as mentioned since she had departed. Anamaria shrugged to herself as the silence lengthened into companionable joint   
  
work. Well, she'd never been one to shy away from speaking her mind.  
  
"How long have you known Jade for? I heard you saved her life."   
  
Rita paused before continuing to rub the wheels of the cannon with oil. "We saved each others lives. My way of doing it  
  
was just a little more literal than hers." Upon receiving Anamaria's confused expression, she leant back against the next  
  
cannon and sighed, shrugging. "Y'know who my father was. An amazin' pirate, ruthless, bloodthirsty. Colder than a bank  
  
of snow." she snorted slightly with laughter, shaking her head as if to dispel harsh memories of a man Anamaria had   
  
thought to sound too evil to even merit existence. No one on this Earth could be THAT cruel. The stories she had   
  
heard...  
  
"I didn't want to be that way, empty, a hollow shell of destruction. That's all he was by the end, even plunder didn't  
  
matter, only the conquest, the fight, the raw hurt of screams. I think... that by then it was the only thing that made  
  
him feel alive anymore. I couldn't follow that path. I walked away, left ran fled you can call it what you want, but I  
  
had nowhere to go. I had been brought up a pirate, a scallywag, a thief, with a heritage illustrious enough that it was  
  
just as destructive to my future as my father's black magic was to his enemies. Where could I go where I would not be  
  
discovered eventually, if not by father, then by the very people around me? This thing," Rita continued, shoving her  
  
shirt off her shoulder to show part of the map etched into her skin, "this BRAND meant I could never live a normal life.  
  
Simple village women don't have maps of unchartered tunnels scarred into their skin. Only Rita Rekedaine had such a   
  
tattoo, and anyone could tell you that."  
  
"So I lived alone. I found a small island with few villages and lived as a hermit, only venturing to the villages when   
  
absolutely necessary. Quite a change from never having a moment's privacy when you're on the high seas with a load of  
  
drunken murderers, but I became used to it. I could finally listen to my own thoughts instead of the clamour. But   
  
things never stay the same for long.   
  
I found Jade lyin' like a soaked bird with broken wings on the beach, the tide lapping back and forth around her feet.  
  
She'd tied seaweed around her chest to try and stop the bleeding, but the sand beneath was stained red all the same. She  
  
should have been dead. But she wasn't.   
  
I brought her back from the brink and never asked a question. I didn't have the right. All I had known when I had seen  
  
her lying on that beach, was that she was not meant to die, yet. It wasn't her time, and she was going to play a part in  
  
my life whether I chose it or not. I didn't know whether this was an element of my father's mysticism in me. It just   
  
felt like the plainest truth that had ever been.   
  
We learnt to like each other. With nothing to join us but the sky and the sea, we found out who we each were without   
  
even trying. She expected nothing from me, did not demand any information about my past or why I had helped her, but   
  
words slipped off my tongue easily in her company. We shared our passion for the ocean religiously, and at first I was  
  
reluctant to mirror her enthusiasm as she talked excitedly about all that she would do if she had a ship, a crew. She  
  
was a pirate, the very thing I had gone through hell and high water to cease being. I saw though, that I could   
  
not avoid being what I was anymore than she could. Nothing like my father's men, she had spirit and joy and a sense of   
  
adventure, not simply a bloodlust. She wanted what she wanted from life, and she wanted it easily. So soon enough, she  
  
had dragged me from isolation.   
  
I taught her to fight with swords, a skill she had never learnt though she did not say why. I never asked. My place   
  
aboard ship, the Captain's daughter, had necessitated that I was skilled with such fighting, but only if necessary. She  
  
meanwhile, had learnt to fight in all the ways they had avoided me learning. I was only meant to fight in a tight spot,   
  
if in emergency, but she had been given no such protection, had been forced to fight in as dirty a way as she knew how.   
  
Hand to hand combat, a viciousness so caustic it amazed me it came from my friend. We both had our dark sides that we   
  
tried to drag each other from."  
  
Rita looked up sharply, as if suddenly realising just how long she had been reminiscing, and in how fragile a way.   
  
Straightening she set to the cannons again after flicking a glance in Anamaria's direction. "The rest you can work out  
  
yourself I'm sure." Anamaria smiled sneakily, not willing to let Rita dodge around all the feeling she had just   
  
expressed. "You really care for her don't you?" she asked, ducking in mock horror at the fuming look she received. "Of  
  
course, she is my Captain and my friend. Don't you feel the same about Jack?" Anamaria raised her eyebrows before   
  
laughing hysterically. When she finally managed to compose herself she slapped Rita on the shoulder "Jack is a good man,  
  
and a fine Captain. But I sometimes think I'll go insane if I have to spend more than five minutes with him." Rita   
  
shrugged "So does Jade, what does that tell you?" Anamaria, being more than aware of the way that Jack and Jade had been  
  
looking at each other, even if she was not totally knowledgeable on all developments, grinned devilishly. "I'd say they're  
  
quite the match for each other."   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
As if instinctually, Barbossa had already guessed that expecting Jade to cook the crew a meal as she once would have was   
  
downright suicidal, and so had sent Bo and Twig to organise things. Jade was mildly amused at how differently they now  
  
treated her. A ghost from the past she seemed to them, even if they themselves had been dead. A woman not quite as she  
  
once had been, for regrettably Jade could not find it in herself to be silent and meek once more. They had realised,  
  
though it had seemed unbelievable to them when they had all seen her die, that she had gone on to other things, had   
  
grown. She was strong now, a woman, a fighter. Were a man to touch her anywhere that displeased her, the offending hand  
  
would get broken. It was a simple rule that the crew seemed to instantly understand, but one that she knew would not   
  
hold her fast, in the company of Barbossa. The lie must be maintained, and the lie dictated that she had done all of   
  
this, for him. Her Love.   
  
The image of the man that had made her bleed for no other reason than he could, had forced and taken every inch of her,  
  
was not simply a nightmare anymore, he was real and he was before her, and she must make him believe that she wanted him,  
  
as she once had. How had she ever thought such a thing would be easy to do? She was not that strong. She could not   
  
believe that she had ever been that strong. The feeling of the breaking bones and the blood against her skin was far too  
  
vivid, too real. He might as well be kicking the air from her bruised lungs as he had once before, this very instant for  
  
the amount of calm she had. As she ate with the crew, who yelled and celebrated to their full drunken limits at the   
  
novel deliciousness of food that had been robbed from them under the curse, she knew full well she would be expected to   
  
bed down with Barbossa. Her heart pounded an agony against her chest as she prayed time would stop passing, the sky would  
  
stop dimming, whilst the crew revelled in the life that had brought sensation and texture and magnificent taste back to   
  
their tongues.   
  
She drank.  
  
The crew drank.  
  
As they all progressively passed into levels of stupour, until the last of them along with the last of the light had   
  
either staggered elsewhere or simply fallen asleep where they lay, Jade put her bottle down and stood to inch out of  
  
the door...  
  
"Where are yeh off to then, Missy?"   
  
She turned slowly and greeted him with a slow dazzling smile. But of course he was still conscious. It was just typical  
  
of her luck.  
  
'Jack,' she forced herself to think as she glided over to where Barbossa sat, eyes lidded in speculation. Resting one   
  
knee precariously close in between his legs, she leant down and gave a light, teasing kiss. He wasted no time in forcing  
  
this into a harder kiss, his lips crushing against hers, but she pulled away, keeping that smile fixed on her face lest   
  
her blood boiled up in her eyes for him to see.  
  
"I'll be at the wheel. We need to cover as much ground as possible. Wake up some of the men in shifts." Turning on her  
  
heel, she departed with fear and revulsion crawling through her skin, ready to cut through to her heart.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack had never considered himself a jealous man.  
  
Women were easy to come by and easy to share by his view of things. The lovely ladies of Tortuga, whilst he was a   
  
favorite of theirs, he knew were just as accomodating to other men, and since he had been privy to so many a woman   
  
himself it had never bothered him. He would never stay around long enough to keep a woman happy, for they all wanted to   
  
keep him still and grounded in the end, something he did not know how to do, had no intention of learning. To be honest   
  
he'd never really thought about it before, actually being angry that a woman he had had - wife, daughter, whore, mother,   
  
whoever, - was with someone else. It had never even occured to him to be concerned by it. More important things - normally   
  
involving staying alive, drinking heavily or at the very least finding some plunder to take possession of - were far   
  
more worth the worry.   
  
His mouth touching her flesh, his hands on her, his mouth, her mouth... Oh God. I'll kill him.  
  
He grunted to himself in annoyance, dismissing the rampaging flashes of images that he did not want. It was because it  
  
was Barbossa. It was because of all he had done to her, all he had stood by and LET Barbossa do to her. It was because  
  
it was Jade. The blasted woman had never done anything but mess around with his head! Undoubtedly like every other  
  
woman, she'd start wanting commitment, a sensible life, all those other terrifying words that he had a bit of an allergy  
  
to. Not that he could ever imagine Jade wanting any such things, but then he had never had the opportunity to have her  
  
before...  
  
His brain wildly backpedalled as he re-evaluated this thought. Not only did he want to kick himself in the teeth for   
  
thinking thoughts like that but he was DAMN sure that Jade would be willing to put the boot in aswell. You didn't OWN  
  
Jade. And why was he even entertaining thoughts about any of this anyway? This was almost as bad as the   
  
jealousy...  
  
His tongues in her mouth he's touching her he thinks she's his I'll kill him if he touches her one more time.   
  
"Now this, is just silly." he murmured to himself.   
  
He had to concentrate on the task at hand. He had to focus on the plan, on the gold, on what they were going to do to  
  
Barbossa, on how to carry it all off without a hitch.  
  
Maybe he should go get some rum.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Lemme know what you think if you like. Sorry it's going so slowly! AHHHH! XXX 


	14. The Long Dark

Ok first off I'm SOOOO sorry it's taken me so long to update but I've been crazy busy lately, way too much work etc.   
  
If anyone still bothers reading this I'll be very much surprised. Anyways, hope its enjoyed..  
  
*********  
  
The rowboats cast out, oars cutting through the murky water that seemed thick as stew, beneath the straining arms of  
  
Barbossa's men. Jade sat at the front of one of the boats, clutching her knees to her chest as she watched the cavernous  
  
opening to the Minotaur tunnels coming closer. A craggy hole in the mountain that stretched into the very water, to the  
  
unsuspecting eye it could easily have been thought to be a large cave. It was the most prominent way in, the most   
  
well-known. Of course there were more entrances in and exits out, but not ones that were widely acknowledged.   
  
Barbossa's knowledge of the caves could only stretch so far, and only those who had been trapped once before inside those  
  
tunnels and were fortunate enough to find a way out, were aware of any other exit. Such people, that in the blinding   
  
darkness could seek out an exit, were few and far between. "Ye better be sure that Jack's in these tunnels darlin'.   
  
I've no intention of winding up lost inside the Long Dark." said Barbossa from his vantage point in the rowing boat   
  
ahead, his gaze fixed firmly towards the swallowing blackness within the cave's toothy mouth. Jade bit down on a vicious  
  
smirk, her heart pounding with an all too familiar adrenaline. "Don't you worry yourself Love. I know he's in there."   
  
she replied as they were drawn into the encompassing dark of the cave.   
  
The clicking of stones behind her, followed by the sharp flare of light that illuminated the bare few metres in front of  
  
the boat signified the lighting of the torches Jade had advised them to bring. Far easier to find yourself in this   
  
blackness with a little bit of sight, if only that. The first thing she had noticed, and was sure all of the rest of   
  
them had noticed, was the overpowering, dense silence that was only punctuated by the occasional drip of water down rock  
  
faces. The silence was almost as disconcerting as the dark. It made the dark bigger, vaster, even more lonely. She  
  
grimly thought on how easy it would be to get lost inside this place, even if she did know aspects of the map on Rita's  
  
body. The water glimmered dully in the flickering flames, rippling as the oars ploughed through it, and if she peered   
  
hard enough into the murky grey gloom she could see the walls of glistening rock stretching up for what seemed like   
  
forever into the blackness above their heads. She grasped the torch out of Ragetti's hand and held it up at the front of  
  
the boat, lighting the way they were going as they rowed on. Squinting her eyes up to defeat the darkness, she   
  
leant forward. "We hit dry land in about twelve feet." she informed Barbossa's boat, turning to light them in flickering  
  
yellow. He nodded and the boats were slowly beached before the crew got out and pulled them ashore. Assembling the food  
  
and naturally alcohol that they had brought with them, the crew set about making themselves comfortable. "And now what  
  
lass?" asked Barbossa dryly, slinging a possessive, heavy arm around her shoulders. Jade found the smile that had kept  
  
her alive so often before and bestowed it upon him. "Now we wait. This is the only exit large enough for boats to get  
  
through. If Jack wants out, he'll have to come through us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Alright then my lovely ladies, are we ready to depart?"   
  
Jack blinked in surprise as Rita span him sharply round and began murmuring incomprehensibly, delineating her long fingers  
  
around his head and shoulders. Leaning cautiously sideways whilst warily keeping an eye on her, he whispered out of the  
  
corner of his mouth "D'you happen to know what she's doing Syla?" The wind-browned woman with wild white hair and shrewd  
  
eyes shrugged and grinned. "It's a charm Cap'n Sparrow. Keepin' you safe from the gold's curse." Jack frowned slightly  
  
but allowed Rita to continue. They had rowed out to a tiny beach on the opposite side of the island where the Minotaur  
  
Tunnels were situated, barely large enough for them to moor the boats on. Supposedly through the thick foliage to their   
  
left, there was an entrance. Jack was not keen on trusting anyone's words but his own, but it appeared that in this he   
  
would have to follow Rita blindly, perhaps even literally, into the Long Dark. The three of them had snuck away from the  
  
Pearl whilst the others were all eating, an impressive feat considering how difficult it was to sneak when you were  
  
attempting to take an extremely heavy Aztec chest with you. None of the crew were aware of Jack's role as the bait for   
  
Barbossa, and he had no wish for any of them to attempt some idiotic heroics on his part. Idiotic heroics were his forte,   
  
and even then only if he thought he could get something out of it. "How are we going to know if this little charm of   
  
yours has worked then?" he inquired, flashing an insolent grin at Rita as she finished. Turning coolly, she fished a   
  
coin from the Aztec chest and threw it at him. He caught it on reflex before yelping in surprise as she jabbed him in   
  
the arm with her dagger. A small prick of blood welted up on his dirty shirt, blossoming out across the material. "You  
  
still bleed. I'd say it worked." she replied blithely before turning to Syla to perform the same charm. Jack found the  
  
thought of Jade as always stirring in the back of his mind and quickly subdued it by thinking of the task at hand. The  
  
focus was the plan. And then the gold.   
  
"Jack!"  
  
Jack pirouetted round only to blink in surprise at the sight of Will, Anamaria, Elizabeth and Gibbs all heading towards  
  
the beach in one of the rowboats. Will leapt out of the boat into the ankle-deep water before they were even moored and   
  
ran over to him. "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, panting for breath. "More importantly lad what are you doing? I  
  
thought I said everyone was to stay aboard the Pearl did I not?" replied Jack glibly, fixing Will with his most black,  
  
incriminating stare. "But you didn't say that you were going to try and sneak off into the Minotaur tunnels! What are   
  
you up to?" said Will, refusing to be deterred. The others had all now clambered out of the boat and were lining up   
  
behind him in an accusatory line. "I'm taking care of my side of the bargain for that gold lad. And why the Hell did   
  
you bring those two, this is no place for women." Glancing round he caught the stony glances of Rita and Syla before   
  
wincing. "No offence ladies." he said charmingly, giving a swiftly apologetic bow. "You're not going in there without  
  
me." Will said defiantly, squaring up to Jack, awaiting the proud pirate's objections. Jack simply raised his eyebrows   
  
and grinned incongruously "I didn't know you were such a sentimental sort Will. You trying to protect your old mate   
  
Jack?" Will looked uncomfortable, avoiding Jack's gaze as his smile broadened. "Well I'm touched Will. Truly, my heart   
  
blossoms. But that doesn't change the fact that you're going to tootle off back to the ship with these three and leave   
  
me to get on with what I'm doing." Gibbs at this point intervened "It'll be safer for yeh if yeh let us come Cap'n.   
  
Whatever it is you're up to, yeh'll have more support. And you need people to carry the chest." he commented, eyes   
  
nervously shifting from Will to Jack, before giving Jack an encouraging grin. Anamaria and Elizabeth broke into similar  
  
hopefully grins as Jack deliberated this over in his head, giving them sullen glares all the while. "Fine. Just follow  
  
the plan and don't mess up." he said, receiving a general sigh of relief as they then scurried to organise themselves  
  
around the chest. "What's the plan?" inquired Will as he was spun and 'charmed' by Rita. "Very simple plan mate. Don't  
  
get lost."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The dark was like a cloak. No a shroud, to cover up the dead. It was stealthy and thick and numbing and it sank down   
  
into your bones.  
  
Jade shook her head to try and whip out the morbid, fearful whispers that thrummed low inside her mind. A damp cold had  
  
crept in as the night had, a clinging, possessive chill against her flesh. She could only presume the others were near,  
  
close by. So long as they weren't lost. The possibility of this going wrong, held so firmly in check at the perameters  
  
of her mind, now attempted to bring itself into focus. It would work. It would HAVE to work. She would make it work.   
  
There was never any other option.  
  
A gentle, breathy whistle, barely louder than a gust of wind, echoed through one of the passages nearby. Jade's head   
  
shot round before she managed to control herself, and she slowly stood. The crew had settled themselves around makeshift  
  
fires, drinking to warm themselves up from the cold. "And where d'yeh think you're goin' lass?" inquired Barbossa lazily,  
  
lifting a curious eyebrow. "To get more firewood. Sure to be some marooned ships around here somewhere." Jade said, her  
  
voice the image of false pretense in light-hearted tone. Snatching up an unlit torch and darting it into one of the fires  
  
she headed out towards the passage, measuring the steps as she separated herself.   
  
One...   
  
His eyes were in her back like a knife.  
  
Two...   
  
Others were turning to watch her go now.  
  
Three...   
  
They had to know they had to realise, they must have heard it.   
  
Once swallowed up by the black in the cave she shot faster forward, eagerness driving her, relief causing a great sagging  
  
relaxation. Peering vainly into the dark, she lifted the torch higher to see...  
  
A hand brushed her arm and she leapt back, swinging the torch round as a weapon, muscles tense as steel wires that snapped  
  
to stronger friction as she stopped her arm from descending. Jack had staggered back against the wall as the flames had  
  
come round to meet him and was now staring at her with aghast disbelief. "I think you singed my bloody moustache! You  
  
trying to kill me??" he exclaimed in a harsh whisper which she immediately tried to hush down, motioning for him to be  
  
quiet. "What in Hell's name are you doing here? You're meant to be guarding the chest!" she hissed, lowering the torch  
  
so they were not so noticeable. "It's being taken care of." he said dismissively, placing his hands together placatingly  
  
when she scowled. "Syla's doing the rounds of Barbossa's lovelies out there. I presume they've got men patrolling,   
  
getting up for the uhhhh... call of nature?" he continued. "Yes, they're all trying to get to sleep. It should be easy.  
  
Now all we need is for you to make an appearance so they go chasing you into the tunnels. Rita will be with you, you   
  
won't get lost." "You're damn right I won't! This isn't my idea of the ideal place to set up home luv." he declared,   
  
swiping a finger down the moist rock to prove his point. Jade grinned, feeling a swell of affection at his utter inability  
  
to take anything seriously. Jack must have noticed her change in expression because his own smile broadened, his gaze  
  
becoming more sly as he crept an arm round her waist. "No way Jack, now's not the time." she said sharply, wriggling out  
  
of his grip and slapping his hand off. He took the rebuff without comment, petulantly stroking his slapped hand. "I   
  
have to get back." she said finally. He nodded slowly, smiling slightly in such a disconcerting way that it was making   
  
it difficult for her to leave. Sighing and fixing him with a scowl of mock annoyance, she locked an arm around the back  
  
of his neck, dragging him forward for a swift hot kiss before turning and heading off again, chuckling to herself at the  
  
surprised grin that had fallen across his face.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	15. Plans go Astray: Running through the Lon...

WOW people are still reading this! I'm really flattered, thank you so much!   
  
Robyn Lee: Hey Clare, lol! Yeh I kinda rushed the last chapter, but I'm hoping this one will be better, it's meant to  
  
have all the action in it.  
  
evenstar: Thankee very kindly, I love writing it! And now I have the DVD OF POTC! *bounce* So the deleted scenes have  
  
given me ideas.  
  
quiet-one145: Yep that's right I'm still here, hee hee! More SMUT to scare you with! Nah actually there will likely  
  
be no more smut in this one. But there will be in the sequel, mwahahahaha!  
  
SuzzieQue: lol! Hopefully it'll be more exciting in this one *takes your rum* Yum yum rum rum.  
  
Simply Sara: Awww thanx, my stories a fav! I feel special, :D.   
  
** = flashback  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jade had heard Rita say a thousand times that the darkness in these caves had drove her father even further into madness  
  
than he had been before. A thousand times Jade had shrugged this off as exaggeration. How could the dark drive a man  
  
insane? Of course, now she knew all too well.  
  
It wasn't just her. She could see it on the faces of the crew, the darting eyes, the furrowed brows. They relied   
  
entirely on the fire before them for sight, and even that only gave them a glowing circle that covered twenty feet all  
  
around. The rest was a concealment of utter velvety darkness. Out of the sanctuary of that globe of light they had   
  
created, in that dark, it was impossible to see anything. You were blind, and the animal panic that came with this new   
  
blindness clawed up inside the throat with frightening speed. Where was the ceiling? Where were the walls? Were there   
  
even any walls or ceiling anymore? In which direction were you facing? Because the abrupt truth was, outside of their  
  
sacred glowing, fire ring, they had no idea, what was out in that inky black.   
  
And it was getting to them too, she knew it as they huddled down for the night. Even as she swallowed down her fear she  
  
was reassured by the fact that their unease was being stretched like a taut wire, tighter and tighter. Just as hers was.  
  
And so it would not be long now.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Trickling out of the shadows like a soft feathery mist, impossibly light-footed and delicate for a woman so old and   
  
thick-set, Syla purposefully matched the pace of the guard, following his footfall from behind, a ghost's footprint.   
  
Silent.   
  
And let the coins slide tinkling into his pocket. It was undoubtedly the first time she had used her skills to give   
  
money instead of taking it.   
  
Darting back into the corner again as he turned, she crept round into the dangerous circumference of the fire, to pick  
  
out those who had yet to receive their gifts.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Barbossa rolled in his sleep, his heavy arm falling across Jade possessively. She did not dare wake him by shoving off  
  
the obtrusive, offensive arm, frozen in his lazy grip as the silence became impossibly loud, her ears straining to   
  
detect something, anything. Some pinfall in the infinite swelling quiet.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anamaria crept forwards to where Jack and Rita waited, nodding to them with her eyes trained on the still figures. Her  
  
hand cletched over the hilt of her knife, knuckles white.   
  
Nothing, but waiting...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Will, Gibbs and Elizabeth crept up closer to the faint glow of the distant fire, hovering in the mouth of one of the   
  
turnings, their eyes on Syla. They didn't dare venture any further forward or away.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was waiting for a sign, a signal, an indication. She knew they were here, she could feel it and she knew it was   
  
happening right this second. She had to be ready, ready to slip away like a fragment that in the stampede after Jack   
  
no one would notice...  
  
"UP! EVERYBODY UP! CAP'N LOOK!"  
  
Jade's head shot up as those around her clamoured into wakefulness, stumbling upright and sleepily tearing their weapons  
  
from their belts. Her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Koeheler holding Jack by the scruff of the neck, a knife  
  
to his throat.   
  
Her eyes tore around the glowing circle of light, looking for some aid, some hope. Dimly, in the shadows to her left...  
  
was that... Syla? The shadow shrank further back into itself and Jade forced herself to stop staring. Swords to Jack's  
  
throat, just like before...  
  
Barbossa had risen beside her and was smiling triumphantly, eyes alight with vengeance. "Ahh Jack! We've been waitin'  
  
for ye. Seems we might be able to pay ye back for all your generous help to us before." The low guttural rumblings of  
  
anger that fed the crew rose up from their throats. Jade remained stock still, numb as Barbossa moved forward to where Jack  
  
was held. Shooting his hand forward, he backfisted Jack in the face. Jack rocked to the side before being dragged upright  
  
again, eyes ablaze with quiet, fuming anger. Barbossa leaned in almost confidentially and said in a mock whisper "Guess  
  
what Jack. I can feel. And I'm sure you felt that." Jack smirked sarcastically in reply, flicking his tongue out to  
  
lick up the blood from his split lip. "I'm sure ye remember the lovely Miss Jade? Kind enough to show us where ye  
  
were hidin'. Not bad for a ghost 'eh?" Barbossa continued, pacing back to Jade, one hand reaching up and skimming   
  
across her face.   
  
**"The blessings make us a ghost. Our physical form is unanimated in the eye of the curse, and so we will be able to  
  
pass the coins on to Barbossa and the crew. We are, in effect, tricking magic with another magic."**  
  
She clenched down on the flinch away from him. She bit her lip and waited with her eyes a slave to everything they did   
  
to Jack. Her eyes darted up and there was Rita, at the back. Her eyes went back, they couldn't leave as another crew  
  
member buried his knee in Jack's stomach. Jack buckled, Barbossa wasn't stopping them, he was letting them do what they  
  
wanted to the man who they thought had betrayed them twice over. Bo butted his forehead into his nose with a sharp jutting  
  
crack, and Ragetti had taken out a knife.  
  
Think think action action now NOW.   
  
He was bleeding and a hot fury was swelling up in her that terrified her it was so obliterating. Any fear she had felt  
  
was wiped away, her mind was a blank white glowing slate of anger. She was filled with a deliberate, non-negotiable,  
  
utterly unbreakable purpose. Suddenly everything they had done to her didn't matter any more than the dust in these  
  
tunnels. Not when all she had now was being challenged.   
  
Not again.   
  
No time to think.  
  
No time to fear.  
  
Her ears pricked up at the tiniest of sounds and her eyes in turn shot back to Rita so far back in the periphery of this  
  
violence, her lips were moving and her hands were dancing in a movement of... Jade could only pray that she was doing   
  
what she thought she was, and her mind was moving so fast and was at the same time so blank as Rita's lips stopped moving,  
  
and she turned to the shadow that was Syla. Her hand was reaching out and the glistening gold was flying through the air   
  
and into her hand, and her eyes were back to Barbossa.   
  
"Barbossa do me a favour. Hold this for me."   
  
He glanced down as she pressed the coins into his hand, perhaps only half registering what they were before the realisation  
  
hit him and his head came up again to meet her gaze. Her arm snaked out and took his sword from his belt before thrusting  
  
it through his chest. He let out an astonished gasp, every muscle in a grotesque semblence of still life, before she tore the  
  
sword out once more and booted him forward to the ground.   
  
The crew's altercations froze as they saw their Captain fall, their movements stilled and numbed as they quietly took her  
  
in with a dumb incomprehension. For the moment Jack forgotten. She wiped his blood on her sleeve, a sneer creeping   
  
unbidden across her face as she paced, not acknowledging the crew. "Recognise that feeling Barbossa? That absence of  
  
feeling? That LACK of hurt?" she demanded, her voice resonating with strength, filling the cave. The crew all began to  
  
visibly tense as if they were one being, looking from one to the other, becoming conscious of their bodies, their   
  
sensations. They knew this sense of deadened flesh all too well. Their fears were confirmed, as Barbossa struggled   
  
upright, the only too familiar Aztec coins laying like sprinkled petals at his feet.   
  
The violence sprang from nothing, as all that had been and now was, exploded in one moment. Now every grievance, every  
  
grudge and hatred, was awake and howling.   
  
A flaming branch rippling tongues of fire came down to hit the floor as barrels of rum were overturned and Gibbs and  
  
Will came flying into the cavern, weapons raised. The flames licked up the trails and pathways given with a vivacious  
  
power, as the crew descended on them all, screams ripping from every throat. Sword and pistol firmly in each hand Jade  
  
leapt forward into the undead crew with only the intention of lasting as long as she could. Taking a wild swing she   
  
cut a hand clean off before spinning to take on another, blowing a crew member's head open with the one shot she had  
  
and darting beneath a cut making an arc for her belly. Vaguely aware of Will's presence to her left and Anamaria's somewhere  
  
behind her only due to their yells, she bit back a shriek as a sword slit through her arm. As blood welled up she   
  
countered a further sword thrust, flipping the blade back and cutting a gash across the pirate's chest. A moment of   
  
clarity amidst the hot madness allowed her to see the scorching flames rising up in an ever consuming wall within the   
  
cavern, lighting it in volatile splendid luminence, so that the true enormity of it could be seen.  
  
But what a palace to be lost in!   
  
The walls were a glistening, crevice ridden mile of indomitable rock, stretching up to a ceiling jagged with splintered  
  
knives and mineral growths. Pathways and corridors cut into the rock, spidering off in labyrinthine proportions,   
  
disappearing into that all consuming black.   
  
She saw a gap now in the sea of bodies and lurched forward, bolting in between the seething hoards, thrusting her sword  
  
through a passing pirate and screaming all the while "FOLLOW! FOLLOW!" Rita flew forwards amidst the carnage, then   
  
Elizabeth, then Gibbs, Jack, then Syla, Will. Anamaria snatched up another torch and threw it down on an untouched trail  
  
of rum, covering their retreat if only for a little while. Jade saw, like something out of a nightmare as she backed away,   
  
shoving the others through a passageway, the blurred image of Barbossa... walking through the fire.   
  
"Terrible waste of rum." Jack murmured as she turned and forced him forwards, seeing the crew begin to follow through  
  
the curtain of fire.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They would follow. They would follow unceasingly. They couldn't grow tired, they couldn't grow hungry. They didn't even  
  
need to sleep. They would follow them to their only exit. They would get away. They would come for them. Jade's heart  
  
was a drum of savage but calm comprehension as she knew all that mattered and knew how to deal with it, in the only way  
  
she had ever known. They ran.  
  
Rita led, torch high above her head as she roared directions back to them, knowing the pathways on her body, knowing the  
  
secrets and deadends. Limping, brave, frightened, Elizabeth went after, face streaked with dirt, with Will her protector  
  
and love behind her, clutching his bleeding neck. Anamaria grasped her ribs but staggered forwards at a trialed,   
  
agonising limp. Syla shoved them forwards, urging them on to a faster pace with her blood spattered clothes billowing   
  
out like a flag with Gibbs keeping perfect pace with her. And Jack, Jack ran as yet with her. Not allowing her to take   
  
up the stance as the one who covered the rear from the enemy. Beside her.   
  
"In here!" Rita called, turning sharply left and coming into a small entrance beneath a ill-fitting archway, where   
  
natural light could be perceived to be filtering in from somewhere. A small clumsily hacked gap, only a shoulders-width   
  
across, barely a crawl-space, was dug into the wall by the floor. Pale daylight danced through. "Elizabeth you first!"   
  
insisted Will,pushing her forwards. Gritting her teeth determinedly Elizabeth scrambled down onto her belly, wriggling   
  
her way through the hole with considerable effort.   
  
The roars and screams and stampeding feet could be heard all too clearly, and Rita launched herself forward to the hole,  
  
pushing her way through, struggling hard. Struggling too hard. Eyes locked on the entrance, Jade held out a hand "Syla   
  
give me your pistol." Syla did so swiftly, hazarding her Captain a glance as she in turn got on her knees to get through,  
  
shoving at Rita's wriggling feet. Jade stepped out through the archway back into the corridor, watching, waiting for the  
  
dark to be lit by torches. It soon was.   
  
It all seemed so very silly suddenly. So very, very silly that she had risked all this for a hatred that should have   
  
died along with it's creator. All of this.   
  
Her eyes drifted back to Jack as he danced from one foot to the other impatiently as the rotund Syla tried to scrabble  
  
her way through the hole, Will shoving her from behind with Gibbs frantically waiting his turn. Syla, then Will, then  
  
Anamaria, then Gibbs. Then Jack. There were too many, in too little time. "Jack," she said quietly,causing him to look   
  
up, his black eyes narrowing in sudden focus.   
  
"I love you."   
  
The focus did not die but was instead joined by disbelief. And in her ear still she heard the approaching roars close  
  
enough to find specific words.  
  
"You what?!" Only Jack could reply to such a pronouncement in such a manner.  
  
"I said I love you, you mincing lying cheating idiot. I guess I always have."   
  
As though realising what this simple declaration in such a defeated and yet calm voice meant, his eyes widened and he  
  
lurched forward...  
  
Straightening her arm, she shot up at the archway, collapsing the entrance to freedom in a pile of wounded, broken pieces  
  
of rubble.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
WEEEEE! Melodrama or what?? But I like melodrama, makes for interesting times, hee hee. Plz lemme know if you like it.  
  
XX 


	16. Alone in the Long Dark

Sooooo sorry this is taking me ages, but I've had lots of work to do lately. I know this is a diddy chapter, but I   
  
thought it'd be better to have a little than nothing at all.  
  
Simply Sara: Wahooo! More RUM! *downs it all* Hee hee, I didn't think I could write this if I didn't get to use the word  
  
mincing about the lovely Captain Sparrow at least once.  
  
allneonlike1713: Thankee v. much. :D What Jade's basically meant to have done, is because she realised they wouldn't all  
  
be able to get out of the tiny exit before the crew got after them, she shot the archway into the cave where the others  
  
were away so they could get out without the crew being able to get to them, while she warded the crew off. Whoop dee doo  
  
for melodrama, hee hee!!  
  
JackFan2: What? NO NO! Not GOOD! What are you doing?!? *snigger* soz, u reminded me :D  
  
anonymous: If I could appropriately right the whole Dum dum DUUUUUUM thing I really would :D SOO fun!  
  
quiet-one145: I ain't done yet,there's MORE! :D  
  
milady*sparrow: YAY ur back! LMAO I can actually imagine you screaming at ppl to fix ur computer now, funnnny! Glad ur  
  
still liking it :).  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It was black.  
  
Dear God but how black. She couldn't see, there was nothing to see WITH. No light to penetrate the world and give her  
  
illumination. The drip, drip, drip on the rocks, her own shallow panting breaths, trying to keep it quiet, quiet. If   
  
her eyes wouldn't seen then she'd have to train her ears. They were out in that black that didn't have an end and didn't  
  
have a name it was too barren even for that.   
  
She swallowed her tongue and stole back her breath and listened for them, the cautious footsteps, the tapping against the  
  
rock pathways. She carefully slid down the wall of moist stone, let herself bump to the ground gingerly, the breath held  
  
tight up inside her, her hand held sharp against the hilt of her sword. Her sword. How much more obsolete could it be?   
  
It would serve her no good. Nothing would. Soon, she would start to get hungry. How long had she been here, been   
  
hiding like a rat? Days, minutes seconds, it didn't matter. You needed day to remember such things. Without day there   
  
didn't seem to even be any time by which she could measure her wait.  
  
Calm breathe, deep, breathe.   
  
The gentle murmur of footsteps that she was waiting for slipped into her silent brain and she ground her teeth down to   
  
bitter points of fate. Subtly louder, acutely closer... closer. The resonating in her ears became almost deafening as   
  
the footsteps came down almost on top of her.  
  
The arching swing that shot upwards into the empty dark that HAD to be filled with a body swung smooth and free as she  
  
straightened from her shrunken place in one fluid movement with that cut. It met.   
  
It connected.   
  
The muffled grunt followed by still nothingness allowed her to release a puff or so of that breath she kept safely held  
  
inside her. She squatted on the ground again, one hand tiptoeing out until it came into contact with a strand of fibrous  
  
hair, soft and grainy against the cold stone. She lifted the head she had severed and tossed it away carelessly, her   
  
thoughts vacant and dead.   
  
As long as the others were safe.   
  
It had been her necessity. If she had to die for it, she would, but not them. It was not their place.   
  
Feeling somewhat futilely behind the curtain of bleak emptiness that wrapped her thoughts, she thought of what a savage  
  
waste it was that her life had come to this revenge.   
  
Managing to stay alive or escape she hadn't even considered. She hadn't thought of anything really. She had no hope,   
  
she had no fear. She just intended to make sure she lived as long as she could.   
  
A shuffle somewhere off to her left made her start and jolt to her feet. Where she had thrown the head... Where the body  
  
had fell...  
  
Even the undead could surely not move without their heads?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"JADE! JADE!"   
  
None of them had ever seen Jack in such a fury of purpose, an intent that seemed to be inspired by momentary madness.   
  
Will watched in horror as he savagely attempted to rip his way back through the hole they had dragged him out of, roaring  
  
at the top of his lungs. As his movements became even more frenzied Gibbs dragged him back, struggling to keep him   
  
composed. "There's nuthin' you can do Jack! Ye can't help her now." he said, clinging on to him tight, trying to shake  
  
some reason in to him that none of them truly felt. Rita was standing mute with utter horror whilst tears ran down   
  
Syla's grime-streaked face, and the rest felt as dead as they knew Jade could only hope to become. Jack snatched himself  
  
free from Gibbs, silenced but by no means stopped. Without even looking at any of them he began heading down the   
  
coastline with fast tread. Will grabbed hold of him in a bid to stop him "Jack, Gibbs is right..." he began only for Jack  
  
to snatch his arm away and round on him with eyes flashing jet black anger.   
  
"Maybe YOU Mr. Turner, have women like Jade Quinn telling you they love you everyday, but I do not! Not women like her!  
  
I've lost her once and I've let her die for me once before, I have no intention of letting it happen again! Men like me  
  
don't get second chances like this, and I refuse to let her play the hero this time!"   
  
"I'm going with you." said Rita sharply, marching after as Jack turned and continued up the beach. The rest could only   
  
afford an instants hesitation before they found themselves chasing after both Jack and Rita up around the coastline.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	17. The Stretch of Friendship

AGHHHH God with the ages this is taking! I'm wrapping it up though I promise and THEN (if ppl aren't pissed off with me  
  
cuz of how long it took me with this one) a SEQUEL! *cough* i'm an obsessive loser *cough*.   
  
Jackfan2: Hee hee, thankee kindly! I like that line also, gotta give the lad some nice rant-y work :D  
  
Zara: I'm getting there, i'm getting there! But you know the sequel anyway cuz I told you so :P.   
  
Quiet-one145: well for a while I wasn't sure how I was going to get Jade out of it, hence long LONG wait for this part,  
  
lol  
  
Milady*Sparrow: You need to HOG TIE your prisoners! They can't get away then!! I love Rita, problem is I've put so  
  
many characters in this (dumb me) I'm having a hard time making all of them any good. Oh well, tee tum...  
  
Simply Sara: Keep the rum coming! It helps me concentrate... or otherwise.... *snigger*.  
  
Robyn Lee: Thankies :) I shall endeavour to persevere ;)  
  
evenstar: I know i'm sorry for the big waits, I suck mightily :(  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Where is my strength, I need it, where is the warrior, the fighter, the pirate? I'm blind there's nothing and everything  
  
out there in the emptiness waiting for me and I can't recognise it.   
  
I'm completely.... alone...   
  
Barbossa could be standing right beside me and I wouldn't even know it.   
  
His breath... sifting through my hair...  
  
Jade sharply span, tension rife within her body as she trembled with clenched nerves. Her breathing was a danger, harsh,  
  
jagged slithers of noise that she wanted to cut off so she could not be heard. So she could disappear into the ground.   
  
This was a waiting game that they had been dealt a far better hand in. She only had a few weeks before she was mute and  
  
useless, unable to move. They had forever. There was no hope of reaching an exit, she did not even know where she was  
  
to orientate herself towards one exit or another...  
  
Realisation hit Jade like a punch to her stomach, forceably ripping air from her lungs. The great entrance to the   
  
Minotaur tunnels through which they had entered, so well known by so many a pirate, was still open. Lost and blind as   
  
Barbossa's crew may have been, they had eternity to find their way back there.   
  
They had eternity, to escape.  
  
And she knew full well they would not spend it idly.   
  
Quietly stunned by the knowledge of this, she remained dazed and empty in the dark, more than aware of the futility of any   
  
action she could attempt.   
  
Futile.   
  
A remnant smirk inched its way around her face.  
  
But when had that ever stopped her?  
  
Clenching her jaw on the new and dark determination that rose up from her guts, she stood up once more. To have given up  
  
her life potentially to this vengeance for it all to go wrong, for it not to have worked after everything she had let be  
  
sealed off along with the sunlight...   
  
Jack, Rita, her crew. Friends and future friends she had not yet made.  
  
That, she would not allow. They were to remain cursed, even if that were the last choice she ever made. Pressed tightly  
  
to the wall, she inched along it, arms spread wide to encounter edges and turnings, her feet softly scraping, searching  
  
around her for dips, steps, dropped weapons, possessions. Her foot skimmed something and she crouched low in the dark,  
  
hands becoming eyes as she fumbled and detected. A skeleton, rags still covering the ice cold bones. Pulling a shinbone  
  
from the mess, she tore the remaining rags and wrapped them around one end. Smiling to herself, she continued forward  
  
once more...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A small cavern, disturbingly not that far from where Jade crept, was a throng of activity and frantic movement.   
  
"GET OUT THERE YEH MAGGOTS!! FIND MORE WOOD!" Barbossa roared at them, passing back and forth in front of the   
  
impressive fire they had created already. Blind as they were in this dark, they could not even find their way back to   
  
the last cavern they had inhabited, near to the one exit they knew of. Whilst the crew were hesitant to venture out   
  
into that dark now that most of them had found their way here after the initial beginnings of the fire had been lit, they  
  
were even more unwilling to suffer Barbossa's fury. He seemed unable to still himself, pacing, spinning, fuming, eyes  
  
hot with a manic violent anger. Death was all he had in his head, as it was now all that filled his skin. To have it   
  
back, the touch, the taste, the texture, only for it to be taken again... and back into this deadened flesh torture, was  
  
more than he would ever allow himself to suffer.   
  
"We go out in teams and we find her! And she gets us back out of here!" he snarled as they scrambled away from him in   
  
every direction, tending to the fire. Even still, more members of the crew were stumbling out of the dark and discovering  
  
the rest of their crewmates. Even a fire as large as this did not seem to penetrate the dark further than the   
  
circumference of the cavern.  
  
He had killed her once. An accident, a movement of her foolishness that neither of them could take back. But it would   
  
make killing her a second time, his bewitching little girl, so much easier...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Who's hand is that...?"  
  
"Wouldn't know Miss Elizabeth.... Ow!!"  
  
"Sorry mate, was that your ankle?"  
  
"I wish it was my ankle!!"   
  
Will had momentarily managed to stop the determinedly rampaging Jack in order to remind him that there was no way they  
  
could all go running off into that blackness and hope to find each other again, let alone Jade. Jack had reluctantly  
  
agreed to them all being tied together, though Will knew he felt this impeded his progress. Holding the flaming branch  
  
high above his head, Jack squinted in to the dark, scowling in annoyance and dragging the others behind him. "You're   
  
gonna walk us right into a wall Sparrow, you don't know where yeh going!" said Rita caustically, her obsidian eyes  
  
flashing left and right in the flickering shadows. "Well if you'd be so kind as to illuminate me on how I could find  
  
a way in this black I'd be more than grateful." he responded in kind, never pausing to even glance back at her. He was  
  
forced to however when she ground to a halt and the procession abruptly stopped. He let out a surprised yelp as she   
  
grabbed him savagely by the back of his head and yanked him towards her "Yeh think you're the only one who cares here?   
  
I want to find her as much as you do but scurryin' around here like lost rats will be less than helpful." She hissed,  
  
releasing him just as sharply. Desperately trying to resurrect his dignity, Jack brushed himself down and coughed briskly  
  
"Well, would you happen to have any ideas then Rita?" he replied, dripping sarcasm with an errant smirk on his face, eyes  
  
narrowed with barely retained humour. "Well considerin' I have the map on me, wouldn't it be more sensible for me to be  
  
leading?" she growled in annoyance as they continued onwards.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Betty frowned out at the shoreline that glowed hot against the virulent blue of the sea, searching in vain for movement,  
  
for an indication. Margot and Cotton wandered over to join her. Betty gave a disgusted grunt before straightening and   
  
pacing away from the edge of the Pearl. "This is ridiculous! We ain't seen hide nor hair of them for two days, and we're  
  
still just sittin' here! What are we waiting for, the bodies to go floatin' past??" she snarled to no one in particular.  
  
"Cap'n Quinn told us to wait for the signal, so we're waitin' for it. And watch yeh mouth, none of 'em are dead."   
  
said Sally with a warning tone to her voice. "Well maybe they will be if we stick around here, yeh think of that?" Betty  
  
spat back sharply. Both crews stirred quietly with indecision, a bristling charge of exchanged worried looks running   
  
through them. "We'll serve no one any good waitin' around here!" continued Betty angrily, cheeks red with frustration.   
  
When she received no response she span back to the edge of the ship, fuming, to watch the horizon for some vestiges of   
  
hope that their crewmates were alive.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jade grimaced out into the dark, trying valiantly to conjure up a mental image of the tunnels, looking for a signpost, a  
  
prominent turning that she recalled from Rita's tattoo. The slowly swelling hurt of fear that she was quelling told her  
  
that she had passed well out of the areas of the map that she had recalled. She was in the intricate net of turnings that  
  
she had not had the chance to memorise. More out of absentmindedness, for a distraction, than to serve any purpose of  
  
orientating herself, she scratched an arrow into the rock beside her every ten feet or so, showing where she had gone.   
  
At least now she would know if she was going in circles...   
  
The flames of her bone torch writhed agitatedly as a wind caught them and she halted, trying to sense from which direction   
  
this new air encroached into the stale from. New air would suggest, through however convoluted a route, an exit.   
  
Turning, she headed in the direction of this soft, barely perceptible breeze.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Not again, lost, not again. How hopeless was this? He couldn't just have a taste of her, a brief snatch of her presence  
  
only for her to be gone again. She might as well have stayed dead if that was all he could have. It simply woke up   
  
intensities he had always ignored into rabid, frantic wakefulness. Because he needed her. Comrade, ally, soul screaming  
  
out instincts of what she meant even if the words for it didn't exist. He didn't want a balance, he didn't want a   
  
sedative, he didn't want a restraint. Never be tied down. Freedom. But as an ally and as a friend and as everything   
  
magnificent she was, she was his harmony. She flew just as wild and free, never holding him back, joining him in   
  
everything. They were each others adrenaline rush that never allowed the other to stop. She ran beside him.   
  
That wasn't something he could afford to lose.  
  
Will slammed into Jack's back as he stopped moving, feeling the tension running rife through him. The frustration of   
  
their escapade was beginning to get to all of them. Will tightened his hand around Elizabeth's as she let out a heated  
  
gasp of exasperation and gave Anamaria an encouraging smile in the orange glow. Even now his own brain was still coming  
  
to terms with what Jade had done for them, for all of them. She had remained in a sealed prison with her worst demons to  
  
ensure that they escaped. All his past impressions of her, suspicions of her kidnapping of Elizabeth, worries about her  
  
seemingly off-hand attitude to the repercussions of her plan. Now all seemed to turn to guilty soot in his mouth as he  
  
thought of the lengths she had gone to to protect them. However dissolute a life she chose to lead she had a heart of   
  
gold when it came to her friends, to Rita, to Jack...   
  
"We need to think up a plan." said Elizabeth determinedly, looking from one dejected face to the next. "And to what   
  
exact end would this legendary plan find us Missy?" enquired Jack drolly, his face utterly blank, not looking at any of   
  
them, his thoughts completely internal. "Well we can't just stay here! And we can't just keep wandering around in the   
  
dark!" she exclaimed further. There was a long silence and Syla finally looked at Rita expectantly "Well?" the old woman  
  
said sharply, eyes needle-bright cores of persuasion. A mute communication darted between their two gazes as the others   
  
looked on, unnerved. Rita nodded grimly "All right..." she murmured, almost to herself, resigned and quiet. Syla nodded  
  
her approval, shooting a glance at Anamaria "You might want to step back." she cautioned, backing away from Rita herself.  
  
  
  
A ring swiftly formed at a substantial distance as the others watched Rita warily, her frame drooping, tightened,   
  
solidified and yet sinking like a tree too heavy with leaves. Every breath that slid out seemed strained, controlled,  
  
focused and distilled down to one purpose behind her lidded eyes. Her lips moved in the most guttural of murmurings that  
  
none of them could hear let alone decipher. Even Jack now turned and viewed what she was doing with some curiousity as  
  
her hands tremulously rose, twitching like maimed animals, gripping together as her voice became louder, a dirge, a hiss,  
  
a backbeat to the dance of her hands.   
  
Her voice rose and filled the air like tangible fog, sparks of power practically emanating from her very speech before she  
  
span sharply, eyes milk-white and huge, and smashed her clenched fists to the floor.   
  
The others watched in fascinated disbelief as what appeared to be a hairline crack, glowing pale white, drudgingly snaked  
  
its way from her hands, trickling away from them into the distance. Premeditated, cautious, like a little animal sniffing  
  
out the right direction, it trailed off, Rita's sybellent whisper telling it its course.   
  
She spared them each a weak smile as she shook visibly.   
  
"Follow the trail." 


End file.
